


Violet

by alarrylovestory



Category: One Direction
Genre: American high school, Blowjobs, Bottom Harry, Boys Being Boys, California, Cattle, Exchange Student, F/M, Flower Crowns, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Horses, Instagram, Liam is from Texas, Louis is sassy, Louis’ host family is a joke, M/M, Nialls mom is a druggie, Pregnancy! Not Larry tho, Probably too much, Rimming, School isn’t the main part of the fic though, Top Louis, Twitter, Zayn is a stoner, and in love with Harry, farms, flowers in general, harry is cute, larry stylinson - Freeform, lots of talk about cattle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 16:06:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 48,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13639656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alarrylovestory/pseuds/alarrylovestory
Summary: Louis is a British exchange student who spends his last year of school in California. He expects sandy beaches, laid-back and tattooed surfers and skaters, as well as lots of sun and nice weather. What he doesn’t expect, is his host family to be conservative and homophobic, as well as the fact that he is living in cowboy country. Literally. Louis wants to leave Oroville before school has even started, but the curly haired boy he sees talking to the horses miraculously keeps him in town.Or:Louis is the gay British exchange student, Harry is the self proclaimed horse whisperer, Zayn is constantly high while ogling the buff Texan boy that rounds up his father's cattle, and Niall lives in a trailer park.





	Violet

**Author's Note:**

> I didn’t proof read this as much as I wanted to so please, please tell me if you find any mistakes in the grammar, vocab or in the plot in general. Xx 
> 
> I spent the last month ignoring my other fics to write this so I’m sorry everyone who’s been waiting for updates on those!! Promise I’m not dead! :) 
> 
> I know what I’m talking about most of the time and lots of the content in this fic is based on my or my friends experiences, but if you find something that’s wrong or explained wrong please please tell me!! 
> 
> Well, otherwise enjoy. I hope it’s not too terrible. Xx

September 2017

Everyone who signs up for the GB/USA exchange program hopes to be sent to either California or New York City. For obvious reasons. No one wants to end up in Wyoming or North Dakota, which is why Louis is so excited to be seated on a plane flying straight to San Francisco. He’ll spend his last year of school in California, and there’s nothing he’d rather do.

He didn’t sleep at all during the flight, and he can feel tiredness creeping up on him while he goes through border control and the security checkpoints. He really should have slept on the plane for a bit, but he chose watching movies and fooling around on his phone over resting.

His mom cried when she saw him off at the airport, and he can’t blame her, he won’t see her for an entire year. He’ll miss his family's Christmas celebrations and his birthday for the first time, and he doesn’t know how to feel about it.

Louis just really hopes that his host family is great and that he won’t always feel as homesick as he is feeling right now.

Getting his two suitcases from the belt takes longer than expected since he honestly has forgotten which bags his mom had packed for him. Louis has to check every bags tag to see which ones belong to him, and people are starting to stare at him quite questioningly just when he finds them and pulls them onto his cart.

He pulls out his passport one last time in order to show the security officer standing at the end of the room that he is in fact not illegal or smuggling any drugs, and then walks towards the arrivals lounge where his host family is waiting.

When he got accepted into the program and was told where he would be moving he also was handed a packet telling him about his host family. His was very small compared to the pile of papers that Stan was handed, but Louis didn’t really care. He was just excited to be going to California. Louis got to know the family a little bit by reading the few paragraphs about them and they seem nice enough. He learned that the family consists of the mom, Floyd, the dad, Zeke, their son Brody, and daughter Hayden. Brody being his age and Hayden having just turned 8. There was also a picture of them attached to the front paper with a paperclip, which is why Louis knows who to look for when he steps into the large room labeled ‘Arrivals’.

It’s loud, and Louis is tired and he honestly just wants to find his host family to start exploring California, so when he doesn’t find them at first he kind of freaks out. Because he’s in America, alone, what was he even thinking? He can’t even toast bread by himself. He circles the room with his cart a few times before he spots them leaning against one of the walls near the exit.

He rolls his things over to them and they apparently recognize him because they greet him with handshakes and lead him out to the parking garage.

Floyd takes Louis’ bags and hands them over to her husband and Brody while she leads him out of the airport. Louis ignores Brody’s mumbled “Why do I have to carry his shit?” and concentrates on not tripping and following behind Floyd.

She walks with fast steps, surprisingly, and Louis can barely keep up with her while she walks up the stairs. Neither can anyone else from the family apparently, which makes Louis feel a bit better about his level of fitness.

When they walk through the rows of cars parked on the third floor of the parking garage she turns to him and offers him a kind smile. “So, how was the flight, honey? Did you get some rest?”

He hears Brody accidentally bump his suitcase against one of the parked cars behind him and swear. He chooses to ignore him again in favor of answering her question.

“It was pretty good. Didn’t sleep at all though, was way too excited.” He smiles up at her.

She stops in front of a beat down white truck and motions for him to get into the back seat. “I’m sure. It’s your first time in America isn’t it?”  
  
Louis nods while sliding onto the right side of the bench, trying to avoid the mysterious looking stain on the left. “Yeah. First time out of the country ever actually.”

Floyd gets into the passenger seat and looks back at him. “I hope you like it here. We’ve been very excited these past few weeks. Trying to get the house ready and stuff like that. Y’know?”

Louis doesn’t but he nods anyway. He likes her. Their conversation gets interrupted by Brody and Hayden getting into the back next to Louis, Brody simply sitting down on the stain, and Hayden sitting pressed in next to Louis. He smiles down at her when she pokes at one of his tattoos and when she promptly grins back up at him he decides he likes her too.

His host dad gets into the driver's seat and starts up the truck, making the entire car let out a low rumble and some disconcerting noises. That’s okay though, they may not be the richest but they do seem nice enough. Zeke pulls out of the parking spot and starts driving down a spiraling drive that leads out of the garage, pressing Louis even tighter against Hayden and Brody.

After he gives the clerk his parking ticket and drives through the gate, he turns to Louis and speaks up in his gruff, smokers voice. “I hope you’ll like it with us, son. Oroville is not very exciting, but it does have quit a bit of things to do.”

Louis won’t find anything boring about the city, he’s sure of that. It’s California. Beaches and sunny weather are guaranteed. “I’m sure it’ll be great.”

He hears Brody scoff beside him and Floyd talk on and on about what he can get up to in the city. Eventually tiredness takes over though, and he falls asleep against the cars’ window. The last thing he notices before he falls asleep is Hayden petting his hair and Floyd telling her to leave him alone because he’s tired.

***

They end up driving for close to three hours, and Louis wonders what exactly the writers of his packet meant by ‘very close to metropolitan city San Francisco’. Three hours is definitely not close.

They passed Sacramento shortly after Louis woke up, and he knows for a fact that Sacramento is quite a bit away from San Francisco since he had to learn about all US states capitals in school. The city where the Wilson’s live must be in the inland then, Louis hopes the beach is still semi-close.

One and a half hours later they turned on to a long dirt road in the middle of nowhere and followed the rows of trees and fenced in meadows until they reached a small cul de sac with two houses.

While driving down the road, Hayden is getting fidgety next to him and half climbs into Louis’ lap while she waits for her dad to stop the car in front of one of the houses.

One of them is clearly in better condition, and Louis doesn’t have to guess to know that the rundown version of the beautiful house standing on the right side of the road belongs to his host family. They already have a truck matching their house at least. Louis is thankful that he didn’t sit down on the stain earlier.

The right house is decorated with flowers and has a rocking chair on the front porch, while the left house is adorned with weeds growing up the side of the house and a pipe dripping down water from the roof. The right house also has nicely trimmed grass and a few kids toys strewn about while the left house owns dried out grass and a broken dog hut. Louis hopes the dog doesn’t actually live in there.

Zeke slows down and his suspicions are confirmed when he parks the truck outside of the garage with the white chipped paint and holes. His new home for the year then, Louis really hopes they don’t have mice running about. He hates rodents.

Brody and Zeke jump out and Floyd turns back to him again. “Make yourself at home, honey. Hayden will show you where you’ll sleep, okay?”

Hayden grabs his hand and pulls him out of the truck and over to the front porch of the house. Brody and Zeke are still outside trying to get Louis’ baggage out of the truck bed, so they wait for Floyd to unlock the front door before Hayden takes him through a small entrance area and a kitchen to a staircase. The staircase is small and kind of rickety, covered by a dark blue carpet and Louis is happy that he doesn’t have to lug his suitcases up into the second floor.

Hayden shows him her bedroom and then takes him to the one across from hers which will be Brody’s and Louis’ for the next year. Louis knew he was going to have to share, but from what he learned about Brody in the few hours he’s known him he doesn’t seem like the type to have fun sleepover conversations with.

Talking about the devil, Brody comes through the door pushing both suitcases in front of him. “What the hell did you pack? Those weigh like a ton.”

Louis shrugs. “Uh, not that much, I guess. It has to be enough for a year.”

Brody just scoffs again and flops down on his bed. Louis looks around the room and puts the bag he used as a carry-on on the second bed that’s standing across from Brody’s, assuming it’s his.

Brody props himself on his bed and leans back against the wall, watching Louis unpack his things. “So, you’re 18 too, huh?”

Louis nods and smiles. “Yeah I’m about to turn 19 in December though.” Louis knows Brody is 18, he’s read the packet after all.

There’s a few minutes of tense silence before Brody clears his throat and gets off of the bed. “Dinner will probably be ready in a few minutes, we should head down.”

Louis nods and puts the books he was holding onto the small nightstand next to his bed. “Sure thing, lets go.”

Maybe the food will be good.

***

The food isn’t good. They have soggy sandwiches with some kind of stringy meat and Louis doesn’t know how to feel about it. The others are eating like starved animals, and Hayden was even excited about the choice of food, but Louis can’t get over the texture and the fact that meat is getting stuck in between his teeth.

Brody is in the kitchen getting a second helping when Zeke puts down his bear and turns to Louis. “So, Louis. What do you do at home? Have a job?”

Louis finishes the small bite he’s been chewing on for the last five minutes and inconspicuously picks at a piece of meat that’s stuck in between his front teeth. “Mostly school. Playing some footie. Hanging out with my friends. Things like that. Nothing too exciting.”

Zeke nods along and takes another bite from his sandwich, fat dripping onto his bulging stomach. Louis tries not to gag.

“Know anything about farming?”

Louis shakes his head and wipes his hands on a napkin. The napkin sticks to his fingers and Louis wants to groan because he’s disgusted, but he keeps quiet and looks across the table at Zeke.

“Not particularly. I had a friend when I was younger whose family owned a farm and I visited him a few times. Helped out with the sheep or the hay, y’know? But otherwise not really.”

“Brody will teach you some stuff and how it works around here.” Brody walks into the room at that moment and looks up at the mention of his name. He sits down and takes a sip of his obnoxiously large bottle of soda. “What’s with me?”

“You’ll be teaching Louis here how to work the farm. Just until school starts.”

Louis ignores Brody’s eyeroll and focuses on eating more of the bread and less of the meat.

“Fine. Starting tomorrow then?”

Zeke nods and takes his plate and gets up. “Bright and early. And make sure he stays away from that Styles’ Fagott!” he yells from the kitchen.

Brody grumbles an affirmative next to him, but all Louis can focus on is trying to scarf down the bread and downplay what his host father just said. He surely didn’t mean that? Louis sure hopes so. Nobody else seems surprised by what Zeke said, so maybe Louis just misheard him.

Before Louis can overthink though, thankfully the conversation gets changed by Floyd who starts to collect the Family’s dinner plates. She walks around the table stacking them up in her arms and when she gets to Louis he helps her stack his plate with the half eaten sandwich. She looks down at his plate and then at Louis, small frown etched onto her face.

“Oh. Do you not like pulled pork, honey?”

***

A loud alarm clock woke louis up in the morning. Not even a phone alarm clock, but one of those old fashioned alarm clocks with actual bells. It’s 2018. Why do they even still exist?

Falling asleep had been hard for Louis the previous night. He was terribly homesick and his family wasn’t responding to his messages because they were all at school or work. He knew that they wouldn’t always be able to talk to him, but he still feels terrible about going more than 24 hours without talking to any of his siblings or his mom and dad.

He hears Brody roll out of bed, so Louis waits until he hears him leave the room and close the door before he gets up as well. The alarm clock says it’s only 6 in the morning and Louis curses Jet lag. He’s tired and wouldn’t mind sleeping the entire day away, but he promised Zeke that he’d try and help out with their tiny farm as much as he can during the summer. Or at least the two weeks that are left of vacation.

Louis pulls on a pair of his black skinny jeans and a white T-shirt that he finds at the bottom of his still packed suitcase before heading into the bathroom as well. Brody is already gone, so Louis figures that he’s downstairs eating breakfast in his pajamas. He brushes his teeth and styles his hair into his signature soft fringe. Sometimes he wears it in a quiff, but since he knows that he’ll actually do work today he leaves it be and goes for a simple look.

After eating a small breakfast and putting their shoes on, Brody and him leave through the back door and head to the barn. Their farm has 12 horses and a few chickens. It isn’t a lot, but somehow they can still support themselves. Louis won’t ask. It’s not his place.

Brody shows him how to feed the chickens, collect the eggs and clean up the small barn they’re kept in. They fork out the dirty straw and sweep the floor before adding new straw from the piles that are stacked next to the wall just outside of the door. Louis is sweating by the time they finish, but Brody assures him that the difficult tasks are still to come.

After they finish up in the barn, they walk to the other side of the house where the stables are located. They’re in between the Wilson’s and their neighbor’s house, and from the front of them you have a perfect view of the long stretch of dirt road leading to the Main Street.

Brody opens the door to the stables and pushes Louis inside. He gestures at the horses standing in rows on either side of them and points to the right side. “Those are our horses. We’ve got twelve of them. The other ones belong to the Styles’ family. They have about 25 I’d reckon.”

When he sees Louis’ questioning gaze he elaborates. “They are our neighbors. The ones living in the other house.”

Louis nods and follows Brody to the first stable. “So what we're gonna do is put the bridles on the horses and bring them out onto the meadow. Leave them there until tonight and then bring them back in. We clean the stables every two days, so we have to clean them today since we had to skip yesterday to pick you up from the airport.”

Louis nods along to Brody’s rambling and follows him around while he gets the worn down bridles from a rack on the back wall.

Louis looks at a brown horse standing in a stable next to him. “What exactly do you guys do with the horses?”

“Train them for rodeos mostly. Get them acquainted to the Payne’s cattle and people roughing them up. Sometimes we-“

They get interrupted by the door opening loudly and heels clicking on the stone flooring.

“Someone in here?,” a female voice calls out.

Louis sees Brody roll his eyes, so he stays quiet. The footsteps and the heel clicking come closer, until a girl rounds the corner and stares at Brody disapprovingly.

She rolls her eyes at him and completely ignores Louis while getting a few Bridles from the hooks. “What are you doing here?”

Brody crosses his arms across his chest while Louis just shrinks back at the ice that’s in her voice. “Getting the horses. What else? I’m allowed-”

The girl doesn't seem to listen though, and just interrupts him. “Listen, Brody. If I have to read about you harassing Harry again in his diary I’ll fucking beat you up.”

She points an accusing finger up at him and jabs him into the chest with it. “I swear to God.”

Brody scoffs and pushes her off. “Please, you won’t do anything. Tell that fag to stay away from me and he won’t have to cry about it in his princess fairy diary. Now if you’ll excuse me.” He pulls three bridles from the rack and heads into the first stable, closing the sliding door behind him with a screeching noise.

Louis looks up at the girl standing a few feet away from him and cringes. He has an idea as to what their fight was about, but he doesn’t know who Harry or the girl even are.

Said girl lets her cold eyes roam over Louis’ face until she steps forward a step and seizes him up. “Are you one of that assholes friends, or what?”

Louis shrugs and scratches at the back of his neck. “Uhh, I guess. I’m the exchange student. In his family.”

She nods and he can see that she visibly relaxes. “Sorry then, I wouldn’t be able to live in that family for even a minute.” She holds out her right hand and smiles. “I’m Gemma Styles.”

Louis smiles as well and shakes her hand. “Louis. Louis Tomlinson.”

“So, I guess you’re from England then, yeah? What with the accent and such.”

Louis nods. “Yep. And I guess you own the home next door?”

Gemma laughs and gets a bucket from the corner of the room. “Nah. I’m the daughter. My parents own the house.”

“Louis! Are you fucking coming or what?”

Louis sees Brody walking out of the stables with three horses and starts to follow him out. He smiles back at Gemma apologetically and waves.

“Guess that’s my cue. See you later Gemma.”

She nods back at him and heads into one of her family's horses stables. “See you, bro. Don’t die out there with that asshat.”

Louis laughs and closes the door behind him, following the “clip-clop” of the horses hooves.

***

  
The next few days go by in the same fashion, most of the morning and afternoon are spent outside with the horses and Louis spends most of his afternoon FaceTiming with his parents and siblings. They have a routine now, and even though he still misses them, his homesickness has gotten way better.

Louis hasn’t seen any more than the farm and the house so far, so he’s excited to be going shopping at a local Walmart with Brody. They get into Brody’s truck, which is an even more rundown version of his fathers, and drive the ten minutes into town. They pass by endless fields and farms in the first few minutes, and when they get closer to the city center they pass some housing areas and schools.

They park in a huge parking area, and Louis did not expect Walmart to be that big. He doesn’t know what he expected, but he definitely didn’t expect this. They could probably fit half of doncaster into the store.

Brody grabs a cart standing on an empty parking lot and pushes it into the store while Louis follows behind. He can’t help but stare at everything they sell, he’s never seen such a large variety of items in one place after all. He’s just looking at a glass floral vase that’s discounted 10%, when Brody takes the vase out of his hand and pushes him along. “Stop fucking staring at everything. You’re being weird.”

Louis stays quiet and keeps his hands to himself for the rest of the trip.

They bring the horses back into the stables when they get back to the house and Louis is just about to bring the last horse in when he feels like someone is staring at him from across the dirt road.

He pulls the horse closer to his body in case it’s someone or something dangerous. “Um, hey? Someone there?”

There’s no answer, so he just brings the horse into its respective stable and feeds it. He kind of really likes the horses. He never thought he would because they scare him, always have, and he probably will never ever ride one, but he’s growing fond of them. They’re really relaxing and soft.

Louis pats the horses neck one last time and then closes the door. He’s tired and quite ready to fall into bed, he feels like he’s been awake for ages. He turns to leave and promptly bumps into someone while trying to open the stable’s doors.

“Oops.”

Louis stares up at the guy that just knocked him to the ground with the force of the doors flying open, and he’s kind of speechless. The boy is gorgeous.

“Hi.”

The boy helps Louis up, and he looks so worried that Louis can’t help but laugh.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

He just nods, chestnut curls flying, and lets go of Louis’ arm as if he’d burned him. The boy steps back a few steps until he bumps into the now closed doors.

“You okay there, Mate? Didn’t mean to scare ya.”

The only thing the boy does is nod and flee. He yanks the double doors open and runs into the darkness, leaving Louis standing in the stables, perplexed and also dumbfounded. Who the hell is that boy? And what’s his problem with Louis?

***

It’s the weekend before school starts up again, and Louis is stressing. He doesn’t know anyone and Brody made it pretty clear that he won’t hang out with Louis around school. A few days earlier a few of Brody’s friends had come by the house and played video games in the basement, leaving Louis to his own devices. He spent the afternoon coloring mandalas with Hayden and texting his family because the boys wouldn’t let him join in. He was kind of hurt because he’s their age and a pro at playing video games. Every boy at his school in Doncaster wants to play video games with him and he always got invited to other people’s houses after school. But Brody told him to stay away and not talk to his friends, so that’s what Louis did.

In the evening of the last Sunday before school, shortly before sunset, Louis decides to go outside and go on a small adventure by himself. Brody’s friends are at the house again and they’re too loud for Louis. He just wants a calm evening and a relaxing atmosphere to get ready for his first day at an american school.

He takes his journal and decides to head to the meadow where the horses that belong to the neighbors are still grazing. Maybe he’ll be able to get some writing in. He walks a few minutes and then sits down against one of the pillars belonging to the wooden fence lining the paddock. The crickets are starting to come out of their hiding places and scatter all around Louis in the tall grass, chirping away.

Louis writes books. Not novels or forever long stories, just short books about love and hate and whatever he wants. It’s his dream to be an author one day and share his work all over the world, but he knows that’s quite unrealistic. So he sticks to small websites that’ll publish his short stories and newspaper prints of his poems until he gets noticed by a real deal publisher.

He’s just jotting down some ideas for his newest story when he hears someone talking behind him. Whoever they are probably can’t even see him because he’s hidden in the tall grass, so he stays quiet and listens.

“We should give your hair a trim, huh. Maybe I can ask mum if I can do it this time. Then we can spend all day by the lake without having to worry about your mane getting caught in the branches.”

Whoever it is, is obviously talking to a horse, and Louis has to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. Seriously, who even talks to horses?

“I really don’t wanna go to school tomorrow. I wish you could come with me.”

The boy sighs loudly and Louis feels like he’s intruding, so he packs up his pen and journal and gets up in order to disappear unnoticed. He makes it three steps before the voice behind him appears again. Apparently the boy spotted him creeping out of the grass.

“Uh, hello?”

Louis turns around sheepishly and makes an awkward waving motion with his hand.

“Hiii.”

It’s the same boy he ran into at the stables, and Louis is kind of speechless because the pink sky behind him and the small unsure smile he’s wearing only make him even more beautiful. His curls are all over the place and his lips are red from licking over them too often. If Louis wasn’t gay before he sure is it now.

“Did you hear all that?”

Louis shakes himself and looks up at the boy again.

“Sorry, what?”

The boy is wearing a small smile now and points at the white horse standing next to him.

“I asked if you heard all that? The conversation I just had with-“ The boy just shakes his head and pats the horses neck. “Doesn’t matter.”

Louis ignores his slow rambling in favor of staring at his face. He has a very pretty one. Louis holds out his hand.

“I’m Louis. Louis tomlinson.”

The boy smiles again, albeit a bit shyly, and shakes Louis’ hand.

“ ‘m Harry.”

Louis has definitely heard that name before in his host family’s house, he just can’t place it right now. Speaking of his host family, he looks at his phone and realizes he’s half an hour late for dinner.

“Well, Harry, I should head back to the house. Nice meeting you though, and Rosie of course.” He points at the horse and the flower crown made out of red roses that it’s wearing. Harry rambles something like “Her name is Amy”, but Louis just smiles and waves goodbye to Harry over the wooden fence. Maybe he’ll find a friend at school tomorrow after all.

***

Brody drives both of them to the local high school in the morning, completely ignoring Louis in favor of blasting country music over the car speakers. When they park in the parking lot reserved for students, he reminds Louis to not talk to him or his friends and walks twenty steps ahead of him into the building.

Before opening one of the heavy oak doors for himself, Louis takes one last deep breath and grips his backpack straps a bit harder in his hands. He’s so nervous and he has no idea where to go or who to talk to. Brody was supposed to show him the high school a few days ago, but he just dropped Louis off in the city and went to hang out with his friends instead. Louis had to pull up google maps on his phone and walk the forty minutes back to the house. He really didn't want to start a fight, so he lied and told Floyd that Brody dropped him off after showing him the high school and where all of his classes are.

Louis shakes the thoughts out of his head and opens the door, he’ll find his way. He’s clever and he has a small paper telling him where all his classes are located that he got when he signed up for all of his classes with his mom back in Doncaster.

His first class is English, and Louis can’t deny that he’s terribly excited. He loves American literature and he hopes that they’ll read a book or write a lot during his time at the school. The paper tells him that the class is in the C-Wing, so he follows the signs into the third floor and looks for room C-28. He ignores the other students pushing past him for now, he can make friends later.

The classroom door is open, so Louis steps right in and walks to the teachers desk where a petite blonde woman is sitting. She looks up and smiles at him when he steps closer. Thankfully there’s already a few other students sitting at the desks, so Louis doesn’t feel too weird for being at least fifteen minutes early.

“Are you a new student?”

Louis nods and holds out his hand for her to shake. “Yeah. I’m Louis Tomlinson.”

Somewhere behind him at one of the desks a book falls to the ground, and when Louis turns around to see what happened, he immediately locks gazes with none other than Harry. He offers him a smile and a wave before turning back to the teacher.

“Oh! You’re the exchange student from England then. It’s so nice to meet you!”

She shakes his hand with a grin and then hands him a book and a pile of papers.

“This is the first book we’ll be reading and writing about and-” She gestures at the empty desks in the room. “choose any seat you like, you’ll stay there for the rest of the year.”

Louis smiles and mutters a ‘thank you’ before turning around and assessing the seat situation. Should he sit next to Harry? Maybe Harry is reserving the seat for someone else, or maybe he doesn’t want Louis to sit there? Louis reasons that he doesn’t really know him, but he seems nice enough, and that he wouldn’t send Louis away. And Harry really is the only other person he knows in this town not counting Brody and his host family. That decides it for him, and he walks over to the desk next to Harry’s.

“Mind if I sit next to you?”

Harry startles, pretty badly, and sends his pencils flying to the ground. Everyone in the room is looking at them now, and Harry’s face is turning a deep cherry red shade.

“Um, Yeah. Sure. If you want to. You don’t like have to though, just because we talked or-“

Louis shushes him and crouches down to pick up the assortment of pencils. He hands them to Harry and then sits down on the seat next to his.

“I’m sitting here because I want to Harry. Don’t worry about it.”

Harry nods and fidgets with the book lying on his desk while Louis unpacks his things and takes a look at the book himself. It’s To kill a mockingbird, and Louis has read that book at least five times already, he’ll so ace this class.

He turns to Harry who’s still fidgeting with the cover of the book and nudges his shoulder, making him flinch. Louis writes in his mental checklist to never do that again.

“You like reading, Harry?”

Harry’s shakes his head and shrugs. “Not really, ‘m terrible at reading and I don’t really understand books like this.” He points at his copy of the book. “I always fail the essays we need to write about them.”

Louis just smiles up at Harry and tries to not be hurt when Harry avoids making eye contact with him. “Well if you ever need help, just ask me, yeah? We’re buddies now. We’ll stick together.“

Harry has no time to agree or disagree with him because a guy walks past Harry’s desk and throws his stuff on the floor without blinking or even glancing in Harry’s direction. Louis immediately jumps up, accidentally shaking his desk and almost knocking his things to the ground as well.

“What the bloody hell was ‘at for?”

The guy turns around with a bored expression and looks Louis up and down before rolling his eyes and talking loudly enough for the entire class to hear. “Looks like flower boy has found one of his kind.“

Some other kids sitting nearby snicker and Harry hides his face in his hands. The guy just smirks and continues walking to a seat in the back, ignoring the middle finger Louis shows him. The bell rings and harry pulls on Louis’ blue T-shirt to make him sit down.

“What the hell did he do that for, Harry?”

Harry just shushes him and turns to the board where the teacher, Ms. Oliver, is introducing herself and setting up the projector for a powerpoint presentation. Louis doesn’t really pay attention, still thinking about what had just happened, so when he hears his name and gets a poke in the shoulder from Harry he lets out a startled ‘yes’ and frantically looks around the room to find the owner of the voice.

Ms. Oliver clears her throat and motions for him to get up. Louis stands and crosses his arms in front of his stomach, unsure of what he did to make her call him out.

“Class, this is Louis Tomlinson. He’s our exchange student from England. I want you all to help him out if he has questions, okay?” The class mumbles a collective ‘yes’ and she smiles, satisfied. “So Louis, tell us a little more about yourself and England, yeah?”

***

“Um well, my name is Louis. I’m 18 and from Doncaster. I like playing video games and playing footie. Or soccer, y'know. I love reading and writing. That’s about it.”

Louis ignores the boy muttering ‘fag’ behind him and sits back down in his seat at the group table of his Anatomy classroom. He can’t even count on two hands how many kids have called him some sort of variation of fag or queer in the past four hours of his first day in school. After the fifth person made a snarky remark about his looks he stopped replying and simply gave them a glare in passing. They’re not worth it, that’s what his mom always told him when they crossed some homophobic assholes in public. He really wishes he could talk to his mom right now, but the school has a strict no phone policy.

The teacher gives the boy an annoyed look and then thanks Louis for introducing himself. Louis just shrugs and leans back in his seat, he’s getting quite annoyed with other students and teachers looking at him as if he were a walking sin.

Harry is still the only nice person he’s met at the school and he’s thankful to at least have him. They didn’t talk much more during English, and they don’t have any other classes together Louis figured out when comparing their schedules, but Harry had smiled at him when he said goodbye after first period, and that must mean something.

Now it’s ten minutes till lunch and Louis is growing more and more nervous. He didn’t have the guts to ask harry to sit with him, and he never had an issue finding people to sit with in Doncaster. He was one of the most popular boys there and everyone wanted to sit with him and his friends. Louis really didn’t think finding friends would be an issue, since he imagined him and Brody getting along and sitting together at lunch. It didn’t turn out that way though, so Louis needs a plan B.

He knows sitting alone is social suicide, he’s watched enough movies and seen enough students at his own school being beaten up to not make the same mistake. When the bell rings and everyone practically jumps out of their seats to rush into the halls, Louis follows the crowd and tries to find Harry’s mop of curls. He knows Harry is his only shot and he wants to hang out with him anyway, so he looks behind every corner and at every table for the boy.

Ten minutes into lunch he still hasn’t found him, so he plans on finding a bathroom and take a piss for a lack of better things to do. He finds a bathroom on the first floor and opens the door only to run into Harry again, making him drop his books onto the dirty floor.

“Oops”

Louis grins. “Hi Harry. We’ve been here before, haven’t we?”

Harry looks at him with confusion clear in his eyes, and Louis just shrugs. “The whole bumping into each other while opening doors. The Oops, Hi thing, y'know?”

Harry nods and smiles a small smile. “Right. Sorry ‘bout that.”

Louis tells him not to worry about it and picks up the books while Harry stands next to him and blushes. Cute.

“Hey, um, Harry?”

Harry looks at him and blushes even more. Louis can’t think of any boy he’s ever found cuter than Harry.

“Yeah, Louis?”

Louis scratches at the back of his neck and makes some sort of weird and embarrassing hand gesture. “D’you maybe want to eat lunch together?“

Harry stays quiet and Louis fears that he’ll reject him, but thankfully he nods after a few seconds.

“Yeah,” he breathes out. “For sure. I normally sit with my friend Liam but he’s sick today. So we can go wherever.”

Louis grins and pushes Harry out of the bathroom.

***

They end up at a bench in the back of the school where nobody else is. It’s quiet and peaceful and Louis immediately falls in love with the place.

Harry motions to the plants and trees growing around them. “This okay?”

Louis nods and pats the bench next to him. “Yep. Thanks for eating with me.”

Harry sits down next to him and gets a brown paper bag out of his black jansport bag. “Tell me about England? It sounds beautiful.”

“It is. I love England.”

Harry unwraps a sandwich and takes a bite before turning to Louis again. “Why come here then? England seems so much cooler.”

Louis shrugs and gets the lunch Floyd had packed for him out of his bag. “Don’t know. America has always been on my bucket list. The weather's nice and It’s my dream to live in Los Angeles or New York one day. Those cities seem so cool.”

Harry hums and takes another bite. “Makes sense. Sorry that you landed here though. ‘S a shithole.”

Louis laughs and examines his sandwich. “It’s okay. It’s not that bad.”

Harry gives him a look and Louis grins at him. “Okay whatever. You’re right. It is that bad.”

“I’d book it out of here if I were you. I know I’m not staying longer than I have to.”

Louis takes a bit of his sandwich and makes a face at the weird flavor, making Harry let out a loud, barking laugh. Harry has dimples. Adorable.

Louis holds the sandwich away from his body and tries not to stare at Harry or his dimples. “What the hell is on this sandwich?”

“Looks like Pb&j to me.”

Louis gives him a confused look and separates the two halves of the sandwiches to look at the contents in between them. “Pb and what now?”

Harry smiles and points at the goo spread inside. “Peanut Butter and jelly. Have you never had it before?”

Louis gives him an affronted face and looks at the sandwich with disgust. “No. That’s a terrible combination.”

“Wanna trade?”

Louis looks at Harry’s sandwich and then up at Harry. “What's yours?“

“Chicken breast.” He opens his sandwich to show louis said chicken breast.

Louis agrees and mumbles a ‘thank you’ while looking at Harry’s lips.

Harry holds his half eaten sandwich out to Louis and takes the one with peanut butter and jelly, immediately taking a big bite.

Louis mutters a ‘disgusting’ and smiles at Harry who is grinning down at him. Dimples and all.

After having lunch with Harry the rest of the day goes by surprisingly easier.

  
***

“Bro, where were you yesterday at lunch?”

Harry’s face takes on a red shade and he clamps a hand over the boys mouth.

“Um, Louis. This is Liam. Liam this is Louis.”

Liam fist bumps Louis and offers him a smile. “Hey Bro. What’s up?”

“Nice to meet you. Harry said you’re his best friend, yeah?”

Liam smirks at Harry and looks back at Louis. “Is that an accent I hear?”

Harry blushes again and quickly interrupts Liam. “He’s from England. Cool, right?”

Liam rakes a hand through his quiff and starts eating his chicken. “Yeah that’s dope. How long are you here for?”

“A year. I’ll be here until next July.”

Liam nods, apparently impressed, and motions for Louis and Harry to sit down at the table. “So you gonna sit down, or what?”

“We actually found this really great place to eat lunch just behind the D-Building. It’s full of plants and trees and there’s nobody else around.” Harry smiles apologetically at Liam. “If it’s okay with you we can eat out there?”

Liam takes another forkful of his chicken salad and talks with his mouth full, making Louis cringe. “What about the bees and such?”

Harry rolls his eyes. “Bees are nature Liam. Let them be. Don’t bother them and they’ll like you.”

Liam mumbles a ‘hippie’ under his breath making Harry grin like a madman and Louis knows that they won. Not even a minute later Liam packs his food and follows them.

***

Liam turns out to be really fun and smart. Also really fit and handsome, but that’s beside the point. He’s not Louis’ type anyway.

Louis’ type is currently collecting flowers from nearby bushes and trees and making flower crowns for the horses. Liam tells Louis it’s a thing Harry does, make flower crowns that is. Apparently he wore a different flower crown to school every day in sophomore year. Louis tries not to let his fond show when Liam pulls out his phone and swipes through pictures of chubby cheeked Harry wearing elaborate flowers in his curls.

It’s the weekend after the first week of school, and Louis’ host parents allowed him to hang out with friends so Liam picked him and Harry up and drove them to his house. His home is a big ranch with more bedrooms than Louis can count and a large swimming pool in the basement. It reminds Louis of his house back home, and he immediately likes it. Liam’s house is surrounded by miles upon miles of fields for the cattle ranch that his parents own, and Louis remembers that Brody said something about the world famous Payne’s cattle. No wonder that their house is so expensive looking.

The three of them are laying on blankets in Liam’s backyard and doing the homework that they were assigned over the weekend. Harry’s already finished, which is why he is raiding Liam’s plants of their flowers on the other end of the grassy area.

“So Louis, you got a girlfriend back home?”

Louis shrugs. “Had one, didn’t like it.” He realizes a tad bit too late that Liam may also be one of the homophobic assholes at his school, but all Liam does is nod and eat another strawberry from the basket Harry had brought.

“Does that mean you’re gay then?”

Louis hums an agreement and looks over at him from where he’s laying. “That okay?”

Liam nods again and sits up. “Yeah of course. If I’m okay with Harry I’m okay with you too.”

Louis sits up now too and squints at Liam. “Harry is gay?”

“I thought you knew that,” Liam laughs. “I thought it was pretty obvious with all the times people call him out on it.”

“I figured it was just to make him mad. Y’know how people are.”

Liam shrugs and grabs another strawberry. “Well, he’s pretty gay. And dating material.” He winks at Louis.

Louis rolls his eyes and looks over at Harry trying to pluck roses without pricking his fingers. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you should ask him out. I’ve only known you a week and I already see the heart eyes you give him.”

Louis clutches his chest dramatically and pushes Liam away from him. “I do not give him heart eyes, Liam.”

“Oh yes you do. Believe me. Those are major heart eyes. A big fat crush If I’ve ever seen one, Bro.” Liam grins at him. Louis kind of wants to punch him, or hug him.

“Do you really think I should ask him out? I’ve only known him for like one and a half weeks.”

He looks over at Louis and smiles softly. “You can wait a while longer if you want to. But your time is limited anyway. You leave in a year. Why wait?”

Their conversation ends after that because Harry walks back over to them and plops down next to Louis. Intertwining their legs while sorting out the flowers he just collected. Louis watches Harry while Liam watches Louis with a close eye.

He’s leaving. Why should he ask Harry out in the first place?

***

When Louis and Harry get dropped off back at home by Liam it’s already dark out and he's definitely missed his curfew of 9pm. He gives Harry a quick hug and jogs into the house, trying to be as quiet as possible in case the family is still awake. He’s sunburnt and tired and reeks of grass and flowers because Harry made him model the flower crowns he was making. Louis let him place the flowers in his hair of course, and he doesn’t regret it, the things he’d do for a cute boy like Harry are almost endless.

Harry let Louis keep the last flower crown he made, a mix of blue dahlias, snapdragons, and woven in long grass culms. He made it shortly before they left and then placed it artfully into Louis’ hair, declaring that he's the flower prince. Louis had simply grinned and flicked Harry’s nose.

He’s still wearing it when he traipses up the stairs and into the bathroom to brush his teeth for the night. Floyd and Zeke are already snoring away in their bedroom and Hayden’s light is off as well. Brody probably snuck out of the house again, so Louis doesn’t worry about him when he sneaks across the hall and into their bedroom. As soon as he closes the door behind himself though, Brody is sitting up on his bed and staring Louis down.

Louis plops down on his bed and starts untying his shoes. “What's wrong?”

Brody glares at him and gets up. “What the hell did you do with Styles?” He spits the name with venom, and Louis flinches away from Brody when he comes closer.

“And what the hell is that in your hair? I knew you were a fucking fairy, but hanging out with Styles and wearing fucking flowers in your hair is downright disgusting.” He grabs the crown Harry made him and pulls it out of his hair, breaking it in the process. Louis has to hold himself back from punching Brody right then and there, how dare he break something Harry gave him.

“You make our family look bad, fagott.” He sends another glare at Louis and grabs him by the collar of his shirt. “Don’t you ever talk to that fucking queer again if you want me to keep quiet about this.” Louis nods shakily and lets out an accidental whimper when Brody pulls him even closer to his face.

“If I see both of you fairies together again I’ll tell my dad, and he won’t be very happy. Get it?”

Louis nods and mumbles a “okay, yeah.” He really doesn’t want to be on the bad side of Zeke, his host father downright scares him.

Brody nods with a self satisfied grin and spits Louis in the face, letting go of his collar and sending him crumpling down onto his bed. He steps away and throws Louis’ pillow at him. “Sleep on the couch downstairs, I don’t want to share a room with someone like you.”

Louis rushes to get out of the room and falls asleep on the couch shortly after. Crying and yearning for his mom and sisters more than ever before.

***

“You really should send more pictures! I want to see more of the landscape over there. Maybe some selfies from you and Brody or-“ Louis sees his mom hold the phone away from her face and turn to his sisters standing beside her. “What was her name, girls?”

“Hayden,” Lottie stage whispers.

She holds the phone right to her face again and Louis’ entire screen is filled up with her smiling face. “Right! Hayden! You told me she is really nice just a few days ago.”

Louis rolls his eyes and grins at his mom. “Yeah, Yeah mummy. Will do.”

“Send pressies Loulou! Please!,” Ernest shrieks through the phone.

“Yeah! Pwease Lou! I want a magnet from San Fwancisco for my desk.”

His mom rolls her eyes at Louis playfully and turns to look at the twins sitting on the floor. “It’s San Francisco, Doris. And I’m sure Louis will send you presents soon. Right Lou?”

Louis nods. “Yep! As soon as I can, okay guys?”

Doris and Ernest grin and shout out their thanks while disappearing into their playhouse in the living room.

“So, Louis. Now that all the kids are gone. Are you really doing okay? You seem a bit, I don’t know, off?” She makes a vague hand gesture and points at him.

“I’m fine mom, I just-“ He gets interrupted by his mom gasping on his phone’s screen.

“Oh my god! Did you meet someone?! A boy? Lou-“

Louis groans. He really doesn’t want to talk about boys with his mom over the phone. “Mom, no. I didn’t meet anyone. I’m just tired. The first week of school was stressful. Don’t just come to conclusions like that.”

She nods and smiles. “Tell me when you do though, okay? The cosmopolitan says American boys are 30% more handsome than British ones. Do yourself a favor and do something about it!”

Louis scoffs. The only guy he wants in the nearest 500 mile radius is the flower crown wearing, cute, and very off limit boy he can see talking to the horses from inside of his window.

***

Monday finds Louis and Harry back on the same bench in the back of the D-Building. Louis reasons that as long as Brody doesn’t see them, they can do whatever they want.

Liam is at some rodeo or cattle event in Clovis for the entire week, so Harry and Louis disappear to their secret spot right when the bell rings in order to avoid others seeing them. They’re sitting on the bench, pressed up against each other and eating each other’s sandwiches like every day. Louis eating Harry’s chicken breast and Harry eating Louis’ Pb&j, they work like that.

Harry is off though, he's only nibbling on the crust and his hand that is laying on his lap is constantly twitching.

He puts his head on Harry’s shoulder and looks up at him. “You okay, Harry?”

Harry smiles and puts his head on Louis’. “Yeah. Jus’ thinking.”

Louis snuggles closer to Harry, basking in his warmth. It’s quite chilly outside, even though it’s summer, and Louis is definitely not dressed accordingly. Harry notices, bless him, and puts the arm that’s not holding the sandwich around his waist.

“What are you thinking about?”

Harry rubs his face into Louis’ hair and pats his waist. “Nothing really. Stuff. Life.”

“Wow. Thanks for the insight Haz,” Louis teases.

Harry laughs and grabs Louis’ waist, making Louis squirm in his hold. “Don’t be like that! Cmon!”

“Yeah, yeah. Just talk. What are you really thinking about?”

Harry shrugs. “Don’t you think that it’s weird that we’re so close? Like, just after a week or two of knowing each other?”

“Not really. We work. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a connection to anyone. That must say something, right?” He pulls away from Harry and looks up into Harry’s eyes. Beautiful, sparkling, forest green eyes. He’s so gone for him.

Harry breaks the eye contact and looks at his hands in his lap, Sandwich long forgotten. “Guess so. Jus’ don’t understand why you’d wanna be friends with me though. Nobody else wants to.”

Louis sighs and grabs Harry’s jaw to make him look at him. “Hey, Harry. Look at me. I love being your friend. Really. I don’t get why others don’t want to, you’re really kind and fun.”

Harry shakes his head. “But-“

Louis shushes him and raises his eyebrows. “What’s this really about Harry?”

“Nothing important, just, y’know, Brody came up to me in third period today and told me to stay away from you. Because you don’t really like me and my kind.”

Louis shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “Haz, you know that’s not true. Brody can shove his foot up his arse, he doesn’t even know me. You do though, and I promise I like you and ‘your kind’.”

Harry shrugs. “Do I really though?”

“What?”

“Know you?”

“Of course you do. I spend more time with you than with my host family. And I constantly overhear conversations between you and Rosie so I know a lot about you as well.”

Harry groans and pushes his head into Louis’ shoulder. “Her name is Amy.”

Louis grins. “Whatever.”

The bell for sixth period rings a few minutes later and Harry has to separate himself from Louis to go to class. He moans and groans about having to leave Louis, but as soon as Louis reminds him that they’ll meet at the paddock after school his mood instantly brightens up. He gives Louis a long hug before turning around and shouting a ‘See you later, Lou!” over his shoulder.

Louis decides that he will definitely not let Brody ruin this thing between him and Harry.

***

October 2017

“And lastly, We’d like to thank you for the food you’ve brought us tonight. Amen.”

Everyone collectively picks up their knives and forks and starts eating the roast that Floyd has made.

“How was school today Hayden?”

She talks around a mouthful of food, making Floyd swat her arm and Zeke give her a look. Hayden simply rolls her eyes when they look away.

“It was pretty good. Me and Alyssa are almost done with our project. And me and Alyssa ate lunch together. We had nachos from the snack bar. They only have them like once a year!”

Floyd pats her hand. “Alyssa and I, honey.”

Zeke isn’t even paying attention though, and grabs Hayden’s arm. “What do you mean you had lunch with Alyssa? Alyssa the one who has two fags as dads?”

“Yeah. She has this really great backpack, it’s kind of rainbow colored but it’s shiny. She said she got it at Walmart, maybe I can get a similar one next-“

“I don’t want you near her, Hayden. Do you understand?”

Hayden stops eating and looks pleadingly up at her dad. “But why? We already took the friendship test. We are like bffs now.”

“I don’t care if you’re friends or not. Her fathers are sinners. The whole damn family consists of sinners.” He shakes his head and sighs exasperatedly. “Letting fagotts adopt a child into their home, what the hell has gotten into them.”

“They oughta let them rot in hell and have her move in with a real family.” Brody smirks at Louis from across the table. “Fags ain’t worth it.”

Louis’ mouth twitches but he bites his cheek to keep from making a nasty comment.

“I still want to hang out with Alyssa! She’s making me a friendship bracelet and bringing it to school tomorrow.”

Zeke drops his fork onto the wooden table and glares at Hayden. “End of discussion Hayden. You won’t see her again. If I see you with her you’re grounded, got it?”

Hayden doesn’t respond and pushes her chair back to run up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door with as much force as a little girl like her can muster.

Floyd looks at Louis apologetically and eats another forkful of her pasta. “Sorry about that Louis, she has a bit of a temper sometimes.”

Louis doesn’t tell her that it isn’t Hayden’s attitude he’s concerned about.

***

“You see, his family originally came from Texas. They moved here shortly before Liam was put into second grade.”

“That’s why he has a bit of a different accent then?”

Harry hums and takes the goggles from Louis.

“I wonder what he’s doing out there all day. Kind of creepy looking, isn’t he?”

Louis agrees and flops down on his back, holding his arm above his head to keep the sun out of his face.

They’re on Liam’s property watching him round up the cattle with his horse and dogs. Louis has to say that he’s really impressed with the ease that Liam gets the cows in order with, but they’re looking at someone else for the most part.

There’s a dark haired guy laying down in the grass on the other side of the hill, and Harry and him have been staring at the same guy for the past two hours. They both don’t know him, which means that he isn’t from the area. So why would he lay in the grass and watch Liam ride his horse and dodge cows?

When the guy still doesn’t move half an hour later, Harry and him agree to go over there and talk to him. He looks quite sketchy, but they’re together and would probably win a two against one fight against him if needed.

They walk over the hill and the closer they get, the more Louis is sure that he isn’t from around here. He definitely is from some sort of Asian or middle eastern descent, and Louis knows that nobody like him would ever live in a place like this. He’s also wearing ripped jeans and a leather jacket, completely out of place in a town like Oroville. He doesn’t get a chance to ask the boy for his name or where he’s from though, because as soon as he spots them he runs and doesn’t look back.

***

“What if he comes back though, Li? You need to be careful, okay? What if he’s some sort of stalker or murderer?”

Liam pinches Harry’s lips together and pulls Louis along by grabbing his arm. “It’s fine guys. Don’t worry so much. It’s probably just some guy that my dad sent.”

Liam is still holding Harry’s lips so Louis decides to speak up for him. “Why would be run away from us then?”

Liam sighs and lets go of them. “No idea, let's just talk about something else. The upcoming rodeo for example.”

Harry groans. “Do we have to?”

“It’s important! And you two need to come! No excuses this time Harry.”

Harry whines. It’s quite adorable. “But the horses-“

“They’ll be fine!”

Harry raises his hands to the sky and gestures with them wildly. “It’s animal cruelty Liam! I can’t just sit and watch!”

“Have Louis distract you then. You have to come! It’s my first year competing and if you’re not in the stands watching me I’m going to personally come by your house and skin you alive.”

Liam points an accusing finger at Harry and Harry sighs.

“Fineee. But only if Louis comes.” He looks over at Louis and gives him puppy eyes. Seriously, how could Louis possibly say no to that adorable face. “Please say you’ll come, Lou.”

Louis ruffles Harry’s windswept curls, making Harry turn into Louis’ hold and cuddle into his side. “Sure I’ll come. Don’t have to beg. I’ll just need a ride.”

He feels Harry grin into his neck and Louis starts massaging his scalp the way Harry likes. He learned early on that Harry loves having his hair played with, like a kitten. Harry almost purrs whenever Louis combs his hands through his hair.

They forget all about Liam standing next to them until he clears his throat and raises his eyebrows at Louis. “Well. My dad wants me back home for dinner in half an hour. Guess it would be best if I drive you back, Yeah?”

Louis nods and pinches Harry’s side to make him separate his body from Louis’. Time to sneak back into his host family’s house without them knowing who he just spent his entire day with.

***

“Just drop us off right here.”

“Why? Your houses are still at least 5 minutes away.” Liam stops the car at the beginning of the dirt road anyway.

“Want to walk a bit. You in Haz?”

Harry nods and gets out of the car with him, almost tripping over his own two feet. Louis tries to hide his fond smile but Liam sees it anyway.

“Bye Li! See you tomorrow.”

“Bye guys! Don’t get lost, yeah?” Harry grins and Louis rolls his eyes. He closes the car door and they watch Liam drive off before starting the trek up the road.

Louis links his right arm with Harry’s left and pulls him toward the wooden fence surrounding Harry’s side of the property.

“Fancy a detour?”

Harry nods and slips underneath the fence with him. They walk through the high grass for a few minutes until Louis stops and plops down in the middle of the field. Harry follows and lays down flush against Louis to get some of his warmth. It’s summer but it gets quite cold in the evenings.

The area that they’re walking in doesn’t belong to the paddock, so they don’t have to worry about stray horse droppings or horses in general, which prompts Louis to move around in the dirt until he’s comfortable enough to lay his head down. The heat that seeped into the ground and grass around them during the day heats their backs while they stare up into the star filled sky.

They lie there in silence for a few minutes until Harry puts his head on Louis’ chest and looks up at him. “Tell me something I don’t know about you yet, Lou.”

Louis huffs a laugh and resumes stroking Harry’s hair. “You know like everything about me.”

Harry shakes his head and fiddles with Louis’ T-shirt. “You haven’t told me anything about your relationships yet. Maybe you can tell me about them.”

Louis nods and starts slowly stroking up and down Harry’s back for a change. “Sure, they’re not very interesting though. I had a boyfriend in tenth grade but we didn’t really do anything because he wasn’t out yet. Then I had another boyfriend in eleventh. We lasted for probably half a year but he ended up breaking up with me because I was too immature or something. Who knows.“ He smiles down at Harry who has his chin propped on Louis’ chest.

There’s a few more seconds of silence before he runs a hand through Harry’s hair and grins down at him. “What about you then, curly?”

“Nothing to tell I’m afraid.” He shrugs. “It’s not easy to find a boyfriend in this town.”

Louis nods, he figured. “Have you never done anything with a boy then?”

“Like what?”

Louis shrugs nonchalantly. “Y’know, like kissing, sex, that stuff.”

Harry blushes and hides his face in Louis chest while mumbling a ‘no’.

Louis’ fond chuckle gets interrupted by the sound of a car’s motor and bright lights coming toward them. He’s about to ignore it, figuring it’s someone driving up to the horses, when he hears Harry groan and he gets up off of Louis. He wouldn’t admit it, but it’s immediately colder and lonelier without him.

Louis stands up as well and dusts off his jeans, whoever is driving the car must know Harry because it stops right in front of them. He hears the motor turn off and a few seconds later the drivers side opens and the girl Louis met a few weeks ago jumps out.

She screeches when she sees them standing in the grass. “I knew it was you Harry! God, mom overreacts all the time. Made me drive all the way out of here.”

Harry starts walking toward the pickup truck and pulls Louis along with him.

“Gemma, this is Louis. Louis, this is my sister Gemma.”

Gemma rolls her eyes at Harry and fondly pulls him into a headlock. “I know that, dumbass, we’ve met.”

Harry looks confusedly from Gemma to Louis and raises his eyebrows at them. “What!? When?”

“At the stables a few days after I moved here.”

Gemma simply nods and motions to the truck. “So. You need a ride or what?”

Harry nods from under her armpit and Louis hesitates before agreeing as well. He just can’t be seen by Zeke or Brody.

Him and Harry get into the back seat while Gemma throws herself into the front and starts the ignition. She backs up a bit before making a U-Turn and driving back into the direction of their homes. Louis wants to laugh because the silence in the car is really awkward and tense. The atmosphere not comparable to all the other times he’s been with Harry. Just five minutes ago him and Harry were laying on top of each other talking about sex with boys.

“So, I must say, I’m pretty happy that you and Harry are friends now,” Gemma states while trying to avoid driving into a mud hole.

Louis looks over at a wide-eyed Harry who’s trying to make eye contact with Gemma in the rear view mirror, and decides to not decipher what Harry is trying to mouth to her.

“Why’s that?” Louis asks instead.

She looks at Louis over her shoulder and grins. Her grin is surprisingly similar to Harry’s. “Oh it’s just that before you two like actually met-“

Harry lets out an indignant squawk of sorts and holds his hands over Gemma’s mouth from behind the seat. “Gemma!”

Louis is definitely interested now. He smiles a cheeky smile and nudges Harry’s side. “No, come on! I wanna know Haz!”

Harry’s grip on Gemma weakens and she shucks him off. “Uh-Uh. No way. You’ll think I’m creepy and weird.”

Gemma doesn’t think so apparently, since she simply continues with her story where she left off. “He would constantly ramble about the hot boy with the cute accent that he would see out with the horses. It’s all quite adorable really. He even googled all sorts of things about England-“

Harry interrupts her again and pushes Louis towards the car door. “I think that’s enough Gemma. We’re here, so you can stop, thanks.”

Louis giggles into his palm while Harry glares daggers at his sister and pushes him out of the car. His feet land on the ground with a soft thud and he smiles up at Harry, patting his cheek softly.

“Well, I think it’s adorable curly. Nothing to be ashamed of, Yeah?”

Harry only seems to blush even more, so Louis lets him be and gives him a quick hug and a peck on his cheek before rushing toward his host family’s house. He hopes none of them are watching through one of the windows, especially Brody, but it’s not as if he can now change who he arrived back on the lot with.

With a last wink and wave at a still flustered Harry and chuckling Gemma he disappears behind the door and up the stairs to the room. Brody is fast asleep, and Louis uses that opportunity to watch Harry’s retreating figure in front of the Styles’ house until he’s also inside. He may or not be totally infatuated and a bit in love with the boy.

***

November 2017

“How are you eating that much!? It’s nine in the morning, Lou!”

It’s weeks later and they’re sitting in the uncomfortable plastic seats belonging to the arena where the rodeo that Liam forced them to come to and will be competing at is being held. They arrived half an hour too early, and only ten minutes in to them sitting around Louis had found a liking toward the vendor that’s selling hotdogs at a small stand on the other side of the arena.

Louis shrugs and takes another bite out of his second or third, possibly fourth Hot Dog. He lets out an exaggerated and quite obscene moan, feigning disappointment when the only reaction he gets out of Harry is a very faint blush and a fond eye roll.

“These are so fucking good, Haz. You’re missing out.”

Harry scrunches up his nose and makes a disgusted face, prompting Louis to laugh loudly and almost spit out the half chewed food in his mouth. Luckily, for him, his dignity and his pride, he doesn’t.

“Do you even know what Hot Dogs are made out of?”

Louis simply shrugs again and looks Harry in the eye before swallowing. Again getting no more than an eye roll.

Grease is staining his skinny jeans from where the ketchup and mustard drenched Hot Dogs are laying in napkins in his lap and he can already feel the stomach ache he will get in a matter of minutes or hours, but he can’t find it in himself to care. He wouldn’t usually act this way around a boy he has a crush on, but Harry is decidedly different and the Hot Dogs really are to die for.

“Don’t know, don’t care. I’m in America, Haz,” he mumbles around another bite. “ Hot Dogs are like, I don’t know, staple food. I have to take this opportunity to-“

A blonde boy plops down in the empty plastic seat next to Louis, losing his SnapBack in the process and dropping it right into Louis’ lap onto the mess of ketchup and mustard. Louis almost drops everything from surprise, even letting out a (manly) shriek, but the boy doesn’t even seem deterred and simply grabs the stained hat and puts it by his feet, eying the food.

“Bro, where’d you get those?”

Harry guffaws and doubles over from laughter on Louis’ left while Louis just kind of gapes at the blonde on his right.

The boy is still staring at him, and his food, so Louis clears his throat with a small chuckle and points vaguely to the left of the arena. “Uh, there’s a food stand like right over there.”

“Awesome!” The boy jumps up, rattling at least five rows of chairs and scaring about a dozen of overweight pensioners that send him dirty glares when he starts walking into the direction Louis pointed to.

Harry is still trying to contain his laughter next to him, and when the boy shouts a “be right back” over his shoulder Harry falls into Louis’ side and stifles his giggles into his neck. His face is red and Louis has never seen Harry laugh that hard.

This side of Harry is cute, Louis’ decides, while said boy is gripping Louis’ shirt in both of his fists as to not collapse on the ground. He wheezes out a “what the hell just happened” and “you literally shrieked like a girl, Lou!”, before biting Louis’ shoulder and watching the blonde boy make his way to the stand.

Louis grumbles out a “no idea” before continuing to eat his now messed up Hot Dogs.

***

They’re halfway through Barrel racing, which is for females only Louis learned, when the boy from before comes back, dragging another boy behind him. He’s carrying at least five or six hotdogs on a red tray, and Louis has to nudge Harry to keep him from start laughing again.

The boy plops down next to Louis again, showing no signs of personal space. Especially since the entire row they’re sitting in is empty.

He puts the tray by his feet, next to his dirty SnapBack, and holds his pale hand out to Louis.

“I’m Niall by the way. Had no chance to introduce myself earlier. I was starving.”

Louis and Harry both shake his hand and introduce themselves while the boy energetically prattles on about how he hasn’t eaten in ages and how fantastic the hotdogs are at rodeos.

They don’t focus on him though, it’s the boy sitting and trying to hide beside Niall that has all their interest because he’s indeed very familiar.

Louis rudely interrupts Niall’s speech and raises his eyebrows at the raven haired boy slouching behind Niall’s back.

“Who’s this then? Reckon I’ve seen you before, hm?”

The boy blushes and stutters out something that Louis and Harry aren’t even close to understanding.

“You know that trespassing on private property can cost you thousand of dollars or even time in prison and-“

Harry puts one of his large hands over Louis’ mouth and simply smiles at the newcomer.

“He’s over exaggerating, he has no idea what he’s talking about.”

Louis licks Harry’s palm, which doesn’t even bother Harry in the slightest, while Niall simply stares at the three of them in confusion.

“You know Zayn?”

Louis pries Harry’s hand off of his face and points a finger at Zayn.

“Ha! Zayn! Finally!” He turns to Harry and grins up at him triumphantly. “Finally we know his name.”

Zayn, also known as the boy they’ve been seeing spying in Liam’s field, blushes furiously and hides his face in Niall’s shoulder. Niall’s face only wrinkles up even more in confusion.

“I still don’t understand? Am I missing something?”

Before either Harry or Louis can tell Niall about Zayns almost daily visits to Liam’s or ask Zayn about the reason for those visits, Harry’s phone rings shrilly from where he put it in his back pocket. He pulls it out and ignores the people around them that are glaring because of the noise level they are producing.

Harry nudges Louis’ side and shows him the phone screen that’s lighting up with Liam’s name.

“Speaking of the devil, it’s Liam.”

Louis takes it out of Harry’s grip and accepts the call, putting him on speaker after quieting the volume on the phone. He looks over at Zayn who’s hiding his red face in his oversized shirt now before grinning at Harry and mumbling a “Whats uo leemo” into the phone.

He hears rustling on the other end and then finally Liam’s voice.

“You guys are here right?”

Harry and Louis nod before realizing that he can’t see them and let out a simultaneous “Yep”.

Louis hears Liam sigh thankfully and say something along the lines of “thank god”.

“Why? Scared we wouldn’t come support you, Li?”

Liam sighs again, not relieved like before though, and Harry takes over the phone.

“You okay, Liam?”

“I don’t know, yes. Just a bit nervous I guess. Everybody is expecting me to do great because of the farm and my parents and maybe I’m like killing myself over this because I’m like the only one that signed up three categories instead of just one. And I’m like the youngest person here too-“

Harry shushes Liam’s rambling and leans his head against Louis’ shoulder.

“Li, don’t be scared. It’ll be good. You love this stuff. You practically ride bulls and rope calves in your sleep.”

“Yeah, maybe, but-“

“Hey. No buts. You can do this. We’re here to support you even if you don’t win, yeah? And if you win you’re taking us out for ice cream after.”

Liam lets out a laugh and Louis knows that he’ll be fine.

“Okay, okay. Well. I guess I have to go get ready for bull riding, yeah? I think we start in like ten minutes.”

Louis and Harry wish him good luck and make obnoxious kissing noises through the phone to make him feel the love before hanging up and turning back to the matter at hand.

Louis turns to the two other boys and rests his head on his hand, staring at Zayn.

“So Zayn, any particular reason why you keep on visiting our good friend Liam and his cattle or is it just because you have nothing better to do?”

Zayn, who is taking a drink out of a water bottle, sputters.

“Uh. I have nothing better to do?”

Louis points his finger at him again.

“Liar.”

Niall seems to know something though, because he suddenly spasms in his seat and grins wickedly at Zayn.

“Of course! Liam. Liam the one with the arms and cows. I knew there was a reason why you dragged me to this sodding place!”

Zayn grows silent and Niall laughs delightedly, turning to Harry and Louis.

“Zaynie here has a bit of a crush on your friend. Been obsessing over him for ages. Proper creepy. But adorable too if you ask me.”

He pats Zayn's shoulder as if he hadn’t just sold him out to Harry and Louis, and honestly it isn’t even surprising when Zayn jumps up and practically runs through the rows to the bathrooms.

Niall doesn’t seem bothered and starts on his last Hot Dog while Harry and Louis follow Zayns figure with their eyes before he disappears behind a corner.

Niall turns to them and grins.

“Haven’t seen him run that fast in ages. Smoking hasn’t done his lungs very well, poor boy.”

***

Liam is the last person to be competing in the bull riding section, and Harry curses when he finds out because he knows that the bulls will be riled up by the time they get to Liam since they’ve been standing in their small cages for ages.

Only two out of the six competitors had been able to stay on the bull long enough for the eight second timer to chime by the time Liam gets up on his bull in the cage.

Louis can practically see the nervous energy radiating off of him, and he feels bad for him because he knows that Liam wasn’t planning on competing in bull riding. His parents expected him to, and pushed him to sign up even though he clearly expressed that he had no interest or desire. He’d moaned about his fear of riding bulls to Louis and Harry for weeks, which is why Louis grabs Harry’s hand tightly in his own when the gate opens, the timer starts, and the bull pistons out onto the dirt.

Niall turns to them, still eating, and points at the board where Liam and the bulls name are displayed.

“That's your friend innit?”

They both nod and Niall immediately pays more attention to the round, huffing disappointedly when Liam falls into the dirt only two and a half seconds before the eight second mark. Louis and Harry watch Liam scramble to the side and jump over a fence to avoid being stabbed by the bulls horns, and Louis can’t help loudly releasing the breath he’s been holding. He doesn’t want Liam to win, he wants him to get out of this unscathed.

The winner is announced over the speakers, some middle aged man that has been competing for the past twenty years, and then there’s a short break before team roping begins. Liam is not competing in that category because he’s used to working alone, which Louis is thankful for. He probably needs a break about now.

Niall is still munching away next to them when the first calf runs into the arena followed by two horsemen, only stopping his incessant chewing to tell Louis and Harry that this is his favorite rodeo category.

Harry is still holding his hand tightly and Louis isn’t planning on letting go any time soon, even if it’s sweaty and a bit disgusting between their palms. He chances a look over at Harry who he catches staring at Louis’ profile, before blushing and turning to look back down at the family sitting a few rows beneath them. Louis simply grins and squeezes Harry’s hand, Harry can stare all he want for all he cares.

They sit like that for the next hour, watching countless calf’s being roped in and Louis is actually really enjoying it. Harry keeps on telling him how rodeos stress the horses and that they shouldn’t be exposed to cows that can rip them apart, but Louis just smiles over at Harry and ruffles his curls when he starts going on a rant. It’s american culture, just like Hot Dogs, and for all he can see no horse has been harmed or touched in the wrong way.

“Harry, love, they’re fine. They’re probably happy about exercising and meeting new horse friends.”

Harry rolls his eyes next to him and lets out a whine.

“But Louuu, they already have enough friends at the farm. And cows are dangerous.”

Louis pulls Harry into his side, letting Harry rest his head on his shoulder. He points at a horse standing next to another one in the sidelines.

“Look at them. Probably gossiping about their owners or ugly people they’ve been seeing around here. I bet they are laughing their arses off at all the ugly mugs in first row.”

Harry can't help the snort, and looks down at the horses as well. They’re eating grass and not even looking at each other or the people in first row as a matter of fact, but he likes Louis’ analysis so he chuckles into his shoulder anyway.

“Sure, Lou. Whatever you say. You’re the horse whisperer after all.”

Harry’s phone vibrates in his pocket and he opens it up to a text from Liam.

Just met someon!! Think I’m peeing mself. Tell u about it later

Louis and Harry’s eyebrows raise comically before Niall nudges them and gestures at the steer that’s running beneath them for the first round of Steer Wrestling. Is it a coincidence that Zayn still isn’t back?

***

“Mate! You were fantastic.”

They’re standing in the parking lot in the arena with Liam after the rodeo. Liam sweaty and hot, practically dripping in his white tank top, while Harry and Louis are freezing in the chilly evening air.

The rest of the rodeo went by even better, Liam getting first place in steer wrestling and fourth in single calf roping. He had a few scratches but was otherwise uninjured, thankfully.

Niall left after giving them his phone number and promising them to hang out after school sometime. He lives a few towns over with Zayn, which means he goes to a different high school as well.

Speaking of Zayn, he didn’t show his face for the rest of the day, hiding away somewhere.

Liam grins at Louis and Harry before pulling them both into a hug.

“Thanks so much for coming. Means a lot to me, yeah?”

They nod against his broad chest and Louis claps his back affectionately.

“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m proper american now, I reckon.”

Harry cackles next to him and pushes him out of Liam’s hold fondly.

“You wouldn’t believe, Li. He ate like ten Hot Dogs.”

Liam’s face scrunches up and Harry cackles even louder.

“You actually ate the Hot Dogs? Lou! Do you even know what they’re made of?”

Louis crosses his arms and groans.

“It was only five Hot Dogs, Harry. And yes. I ate them. They were quite fantastic.”

Liam gags and pulls Louis into another hug.

“I’ll miss you when you’re gone.”

Louis scoffs and flicks Liam’s chest, that bastard probably didn’t even feel it due to his amount of pure muscle and abs.

“I’m not leaving until next June. That’s like ages away.”

“Yeah, but still-“

Their hug gets interrupted by Liam’s family joining them and Liam’s mom pulling him into a hug.

“Good Job, baby! We’re so proud of you!”

Louis laughs into Harry’s chest at the nickname. Liam groans, embarrassed.

“Thanks mom.”

He weasels out of her grip and points at Louis and Harry.

“You know Harry of course, but that’s Louis. He’s the Wilsons exchange student from England.”

Louis can see her make a distasteful face at his host family’s name, and he wonders how unpopular they really are. He knows they were somewhere at the rodeo, handling the horses they brought, but he didn’t ever see them.

She pulls Louis into a hug as well and smiles at him reassuringly.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, honey. And if you ever need anything or your host family is causing you trouble, just come round ours, okay? You’re always welcome.”

Louis grins and nods. He already likes her.

She claps her hands and pulls Liam closer by his wrist, almost making him stumble.

“We’ve gotta get going. So we’ll see you boys later.” She waves at them while pulling Liam toward yet another pickup truck, her Texas drawl echoing across the parking lot. “Liam is driving with us, okay?”

They see Liam nod and wave at them, shouting a “see you tomorrow at ten at mine”.

Harry shouts back a “yep, bye Li!”, and before Louis can ask how they’re going to get home, Harry pulls him through the nearest row of cars toward Liam’s.

“We can’t just take Liam’s car, Harry. We don’t even have the keys!”

Harry walks to the front of the truck and reaches under one of the windshield wipers, coming up with a spare key to the car.

“He lets me drive sometimes. I’m a terrible driver though, so you’re driving tonight.”

Louis laughs but still accepts the key that Harry presses into his palm.

“Nuh-uh. I don’t think so. I’ve only ever driven on the left side of the road, Harry. I’m going to get us killed.”

Harry shrugs. “There’s literally nobody on the streets. And I know you want to, come on. You told me you want to drive an american car like not even a few weeks ago.”

Louis looks down at the key and then nods, he does want to. Driving on the right side of the road was even on his ‘things to do in america’ list.

“Fine. But I’m driving really slow. I’m not going to wreck Liam’s truck. And you can’t laugh.”

He raises his eyebrows at Harry who is already giggling.

“Okay. I won’t laugh.”

They move to get into the truck, Louis automatically walking to the left side and only turning around when he realizes his mistake. Harry is stifling his laughter into his hand and Louis groans. So much for Harry not laughing at him.

***

The ride is surprisingly smooth, and it turns out that it isn’t all that different to driving in England. He only wants to switch into the wrong lane three times, and even then Harry only chuckles.

The drive takes about half an hour, and by the time Louis turns onto the dirt road in front of their houses it’s almost ten. Harry had given him sleepy directions through shortcuts and old country roads from where he was leaning against the passenger side door throughout the drive, and Louis is happy that he didn’t make Harry drive. He’s obviously exhausted and Louis can see his eyes falling shut every few seconds.

He stops in front of Harry’s house, relieved to see that neither his host family’s or Brad’s car are in the drive.

Harry stirs next to him and stretches, revealing his soft tummy which Louis does not stare at. He doesn’t. When Harry unbuckles his seatbelt and looks up at him with sleepy eyes, Louis puts a hand on his thigh and pats softly.

“I had a great day today Haz.”

Harry grins and nods, his hair flat on his head from being pressed against the window.

“Me too, Lou. Was very fun. Even if I don’t usually like rodeos.”

Louis rolls his eyes and pinches his thigh.

“All horses were fine, Haz.”

Harry smiles and grabs Louis’ hand from his thigh, intertwining their fingers.

Louis really doesn’t want to leave but he really should, considering that he doesn’t know when his host family will come home.

“I guess I should go, Haz. Go in before they’re back.”

“No.”

Harry clears his throat and tugs softly on Louis’ hand. Louis looks at him inquisitively from where he’s already turned to get out of the door.

“Um, I mean, my family is not home either. And we still have some boxes of Mac n cheese and you didn’t really eat dinner and I didn’t either. You could, like, come in. Just for a little bit. Or longer whatever you want. If you want to, I mean.”

Louis doesn’t even have to think before he agrees and follows Harry into his home.

 

The inside of the house is even nicer than the outside, everything looks homey and the furniture looks well loved. There’s carpet flooring throughout the entire house, and Louis actually likes it. It doesn’t look dirty like carpet tends to look and it’s soft under his socked feet.

“Do you want some sweatpants? I can lend you some.”

Louis nods and Harry motions up the stairs to the second floor.

“It’s the same layout as the Wilsons house. The bedroom next to the bathroom is mine and my sweats are in the black dresser. Take whatever you want.”

Louis nods and starts trekking up the steps. “Thanks!”

It’s indeed the same layout, and Louis can’t help but peek into the room that’s an exact copy of Brody’s before heading to Harry’s bedroom. It’s Gemma’s, and Louis grins when he sees that she has an entire wall dedicated to pictures of her and Harry. He’ll have to go back sometime and look at them.

Harry’s room is larger than Gemma’s, but way cleaner. He has no laundry laying around or books strewn about, and Louis rolls his eyes fondly, because of course Harry wouldn’t be a messy person.

He finds the black dresser easily and picks up some of the fake flower crowns he sees laying on top. They’re beautiful, and Louis wonders if they’re Harry’s or the horses’. He picks up a crown filled with white and pink flowers and puts it aside. Maybe he’ll get Harry to wear it for him.

The sweats are in the second drawer and Louis picks a standard grey pair. They’re way too big for him but he simply folds up the bottoms and ties the drawstrings tighter around his waist.

He grabs the crown and his pair of jeans before heading downstairs, not looking into any mirrors to avoid seeing how dumb he looks in Harry’s sweats.

Harry is in the kitchen stirring in a small pot while humming something under his breath. Louis doesn’t want to wrap his arms around his waist and kiss him. He doesn’t.

“I found your flower crowns.”

Harry jumps a little, almost toppling over the pot with noodles and boiling water. He turns to Louis and smiles sheepishly.

“Oh. Yeah. They are on my dresser.”

Louis nods and walks closer to him, leaning against the counter by the stove. Harry’s brow furrows but he doesn’t ask what Louis is doing, so he pulls the pink and white flower crown out from behind his back and plops it into Harry’s curls, fixing it until it sits just right.

Harry’s smile widens and the dimple in his cheek deepens. He pats his curls and looks at himself in the reflection on the pot, deeming his hair good before turning to Louis.

“You like it?”

Louis nods and leans his body fully against the counter, Harry’s wide smile making his knees feel a bit wobbly.

“Yeah. A lot.” Louis smiles up at him and Harry blushes. He clears his throat and the electricity between them disappears. “Do you want me to get bowls or something?”

Harry points to a cabinet to the right of them and nods. “Yeah. Just bring two bowls and silverware into the living room. We’ll eat there.”

Louis practically jumps up and toward the cabinet, wanting to avoid Harry seeing the small blush staining his cheeks as well. He grabs two forks and two bowls before heading into the living room and putting them onto the couch table, placing them next to each other to allow both of them to sit on the couch. He’s about to head back when Harry yells out from the kitchen door.

“Pick a Channel, whatever you want to watch! I’ll bring the food out in a second.”

Louis gives Harry a thumbs up and grabs the remote from the table, turning the TV on and flicking through the channels. There’s mostly baking shows and channels dedicated to online shopping, so Louis decides on some game show before settling into the couch.

Harry sinks into the cushion next to him a few moments later and pushes a spoon into Louis’ hand. He pushes the pot toward Louis as well and motions for him to take some. “Guests first.”

Louis gratefully takes some and fills Harry’s bowl as well, before handing it to him and leaning against the backrest of the couch again, fully sinking into the depths of the couch.

“I’m never getting up again.”

Harry giggles and leans back as well, shoulder colliding with Louis’.

“Yeah, this couch is a bottomless pit. A comfortable pit though.”

Louis laughs and takes a bite of his food, not being able to suppress the loud moan. He quickly takes another bite and looks over at Harry.

“This is so fucking good, Haz.”

Harry’s simply shrugs and starts eating as well.

“It’s the butter.”

Louis stops stuffing his mouth full and swallows before looking confusedly at Harry.

“The butter?”

Harry nods and elaborates when Louis still doesn’t get it.

“Um, you need to add loads of butter. Like almost too much butter. Makes the sauce this creamy. And then add a dash of milk. Most people ignore both the milk and butter, but my mom taught us to add them in.“

Louis nods along and stares at Harry who’s smiling softly, maybe a bit shyly, and comes to the conclusion that Harry is the prettiest boy he’s ever seen.

“You’re the prettiest boy I’ve ever seen.”

Harry freezes up and chuckles nervously, sitting up a bit straighter in front of Louis.

“Uh, what?”

Louis puts his bowl onto the table before taking Harry’s and setting it down as well. He grabs Harry’s hand and squeezes.

“You’re literally the prettiest boy I’ve ever seen.”

Harry blushes and looks up at him from under his eyelashes.

“Oh, um, thanks Lou.”

Louis smiles and pulls Harry closer, his body falling into Louis’ easily.

“I really want to kiss you, Haz.”

“Okay,” Harry chokes out, and then Louis is leaning in and softly pressing his lips against Harry’s.

Their lips brush against each other seamlessly, as if they’ve done this a hundred times before, and by the time Louis swipes his tongue through Harry’s mouth, causing a shiver to ripple through Harry’s spine, he’s so gone. So gone for the cute boy he’s gotten to know over the past few weeks.

Their first kiss tastes like Macaroni and Cheese, and Louis thinks it’s perfect.

***

He leaves the house an hour later, after Harry had him pressed up against the entrance for a solid ten minutes, kissing him feverishly.

They had spent the rest of the time in Harry’s house making out on the couch and finishing their food, before Louis realized that his host family is probably back already and that he really should go to bed before Brody suspects something.

Harry whines when he leaves, and Louis almost stays because he can’t resist Harry’s puppy eyes, but he gives him one last smile and a chaste kiss before opening the door and slipping into the darkness. He’ll see Harry in less than 10 hours anyway.

***

Liam texted them an address and told them to meet him there at 10am the next morning, so Louis got up early and met Harry by the car at 9:30.

They spend ten minutes in the car snogging, and the other twenty following directions toward Jenn’s Cafe.

Jenn’s Cafe is a very well known breakfast and lunch spot in the middle of Oroville according to Harry, and Louis is excited to finally see new parts of the city he’s been staying in. They drive with the windows down, Dua Lipa and other top 100 artists playing over the speakers, Harry dancing his fingers over Louis’ thigh.

Liam is already waiting in front of the building when they arrive, so Louis and Harry refrain from making out in the car and get out and walk toward him instead. He instantly perks up when he sees them and waves.

There’s a 10 minute wait that they spend outside talking about today's plans before they get seated in a small booth at the front of the cafe, Harry sliding in next to Louis and Liam sitting across from them. There’s flowers sitting on their table, and Louis can’t help it when he takes a small one out of the pot and tucks it behind Harry’s ear.

They order drinks and get handed their menus before the waiter, who Louis is pretty sure goes to their school, disappears. Harry instantly locks hands with Louis under the table.

“So, I invited someone to come meet us here. Is that okay?”

Louis and Harry look up from where they’ve been whispering sweet nothings into each others ears and furrow their eyebrows at Liam.

“Yeah. Sure, that’s okay.”

Louis nods and squeezes Harry’s thigh under the table.

“Who is it?”

They look over at a fidgeting Liam expectantly, and is that blush on his cheeks?

“You know. The guy I texted you about yesterday.”

Harry gasps and lets go of Louis’ hand to flick Liam’s face.

“You mean the guy you haven’t told us anything about! Come on, where are the details. Is this a date?”

Liam grins and shrugs.

“I don’t know. Maybe? Not sure yet. He’s bringing his friend too, so I don’t know if it really counts as a date.”

Louis and Harry practically squeal from excitement, Liam has never even thought about dating anyone.

The door opens behind them and Liam immediately shushes them.

“They’re coming! Be quiet.”

True to his word not even five seconds later two guys are standing next to their table. And those two guys turn out to be Niall and Zayn.

Niall lets out a loud cackle and squeezes in next to Louis and Harry while Zayn looks like he wants to disappear in a hole. He smiles shyly at Liam though and slides in next to him.

Niall, apparently not one for indoor voices, bumps Harry’s shoulder and lets out a loud whoop.

“So Lou and Harry. How’s it hangin bros? I’m happy it’s you two I have to hang out with. I don’t think I could stand those two lovebirds otherwise.”

He points at Liam and Zayn who are both blushing furiously and cackles even louder.

“How do you guys know each other?” Liam points between the three of them. “I thought Zayn said you both go to a different school.”

“Me and Zayn sat next to ‘em at the rodeo, bro. Well, Zayn disappeared but I guess we all know where to.”

A waitress comes over to their table to tell him to be quieter before he even gets the chance to cackle again, and Louis is strangely disappointed. Niall’s laugh is highly infectious.

Niall simply shrugs it off and promises to keep a better voice level for the next few minutes.

“Now that we’ve brought it up, what exactly did you two do at the rodeo that whole time?” Harry asks Liam and Zayn.

Zayn is staring at the napkin in his lap and Liam is looking anywhere but their faces, so Louis kicks Liam’s shin and raises his eyebrows at him. Surprisingly it’s Zayn who speaks up though.

“We, like, met behind the stables and then Liam asked me if I, like, wanted to see his horse so we spend time with his horse.”

Niall is grinning widely beside Harry and everyone jumps when he slaps his hand on the table out of nowhere.

“You legit got Zayn to talk for an entire sentence, bro.” He ruffles Harry’s hair and cackles again, promised noise level already forgotten. “I love you guys already.”

Harry starts giggling and Louis joins in when Harry leans into his shoulder. Liam looks shell shocked and Zayn looks annoyed, but Louis can see his lips pulling up in a smile. Niall is almost falling out of the booth from delight and Louis definitely knows that his friend group has just expanded by two.

***

December 2017

“This is sick, Mate.”

Louis is holding up a porcelain squirrel that’s standing in Niall’s living room.

“Got that from my Granny up in Minnesota. Apparently they’re all obsessed with squirrels there.” He shrugs. “She died last year so I kept it up on the table. Figured it’d keep her spirit or summat.”

Louis laughs and carefully puts it back down, he doesn’t want to disturb the spirits that thing might have.

Harry wraps his arms around his back and kisses up the side of his neck until Louis pays attention to him.

“Hey, Haz.” The thin floor groans underneath them and Harry giggles.

“This place is kind of cool, man.” They hear Liam say behind them, but they don’t really pay attention to the others while Harry pushes his hand underneath Louis shirt and softly strokes his tummy.

It’s been three weeks since their first kiss, and every day they spend together, they test the waters even more. Chaste kisses turned into dirty ones by the end of the first week, and since then there've been more than a few instances where they find themselves grinding on Harry’s couch.

They haven’t done anything sexual yet, but that’s probably only due to the fact that they’re never truly alone or are too busy stalking Liam and Zayn.

Harry has come fully out of his shell ever since he’s been hanging out with Louis, and Louis appreciates the loud and cheeky side of Harry more and more every day, which is why when Harry lets his hand streak under Louis’ jeans he isn’t even surprised.

He simply slaps his wrist and turns around in his hold, whispering “cheeky” against the shell of Harry’s ear before asking Niall another question about his trailer.

Niall lives in a trailer park with his mom in the middle of nowhere, meaning about 20 minutes out of Strawberry Valley. There’s 2 meter high grass and weeds growing around their rusty old motorhome, and when they asked where Niall’s mom is he just shrugged and pointed vaguely into the surrounding area and responded with “Possibly passed out somewhere. She has a drug problem.”

Louis and Harry stopped snooping around in the small kitchen’s drawers after that.

“So Niall, where do sleep?”

Louis is looking for a bed, and when he can’t find one he turns to Niall who’s lighting a joint with Zayn on the couch table. That’s a thing Zayn does — He’s a total stoner. And Liam’s on the way to being one too.

“Oh, I just sleep on the floor over there.” He takes a drag and exhales the smoke upwards before passing it on to Zayn. “Sleeping bag’s under the table if you wanna take it and go nap.”

Louis declines and sits down next to them, pulling Harry into his lap. Zayn holds the weed out to Harry who scrunches up his nose.

“Want a drag, Haz?”

Louis rolls his eyes and takes the joint instead.

“You know Haz doesn’t smoke, Zayn.”

Zayn shrugs and takes it back after Louis exhales the smoke in the opposite direction of the one that Harry’s sitting in.

“You’re so whipped, dude.”

Louis grins and leans up to kiss Harry, he won’t deny it.

The three other boys groan when Harry turns around in his lap and slips his tongue into Louis’ mouth, but honestly they’re used to it by now, so they just continue smoking on the couch next to them.

They hear a loud shout of “Niall!” outside of the trailer, and Niall jumps up off of the couch.

“Well, that’s my cue, boys. If you want to avoid seeing lots of puke and my mom naked I’d advise you to leave, like, right now.”

He’s smiling while he says all of that, and Louis doesn’t know if he should be worried about Niall or not.

Zayn, who’s been at Niall’s countless times, shrugs and gets up, pulling Liam with him. He ruffles Niall’s hair affectionately, like a big brother would, and pulls him into a hug.

“Watch out for yourself, bro. See you on school on Monday.”

Niall gags and pushes him out of the hug, but Louis can still see how much Zayn he needs Zayn to ground him.

“Don’t remind me of that fucking place.”

Louis and Harry hug him as well, and then Zayn smiles and takes Liam’s hand before they open the door and run through the grass, avoiding Niall’s mom who’s sitting on a fold up chair and talking to herself.

***

In the few months that Louis has been attending public american high school he hasn’t learned to love or even like it. Jocks are still rude to him when they pass him in the hallway, and he gets called a faggot at least once every class period. Teachers don’t care and other students laugh, and as long as no one touches Harry he won’t say anything.

The school of course doesn’t know that they’re together. Harry and Louis avoid any and all physical contact at school. It’s like an unspoken rule between them because they know they would be dead if anyone ever found out that they’re actually dating, which makes it hard at lunch when Harry is less than a foot away from him and he has to refrain from touching him.

Liam plops down across from them in the crowded cafeteria with a tray of food. “I feel like the lunch got shittier and shittier every year we’ve attended. Don’t you think, Harry?”

Harry shrugs and stares moodily down at his/Louis’ peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Liam rolls his eyes and kicks him under the table.

“What’s gotten into you, bro? Only one more week ‘til winter break. We should be celebrating.”

Louis shrugs and it takes all his willpower to not take Harry’s hand in his.

“He’s just moody because it’s raining and we can’t eat out on the bench.”

Liam takes a bite of his disgusting looking chicken sandwich before deciding it’s too dry and drenching it in ketchup.

“Well. It’s not that bad, yeah? We used to eat here every day before you showed up.”

He grins and Louis smiles back. Louis agrees with Harry though, he’ll definitely avoid the cafeteria whenever he can.

“It’s going to snow in a matter of days and Zayn and I were thinking of loading up the truck and having a boy’s weekend up at his family’s cabin to celebrate having three weeks off. All of us of course, and Niall.”

Harry perks up next to Louis.

“Zayns family has a cabin? Where is it?”

Liam shrugs. “He said it’s around Berry Creek. So not too far. An hour tops, and there’ll be loads of snow.”

One of the guys from the football team purposely walks into Harry and calls him a faggot before walking off, laughing. Liam glares at the guys back and Louis clenches his first while Harry hunches his shoulders and picks the crust off of the sandwich.

“I’m coming obviously. Just have to ask Floyd and Zeke,” he tells Liam who’s still looking at the football jocks table in the back.

He turns to Harry. “You in, Haz?”, he asks softly.

Harry nods and smiles up at him before biting into his sandwich. He doesn’t miss the way Harry flinches the next time someone walks too close to him. Louis really wishes he’d met all of the boys in a better place.

  
***

“You’ve never ridden a horse before?!”

Louis giggles and looks over at Harry who’s staring at him incredulously.

“No, course not. Never had a reason to. And they kind of scare me.”

Harry gasps and pulls Louis up and out of his couch.

“We’re going riding right now, Lou. It’s the best.”

“It’s almost nine, love. We have school tomorrow. We’re not going riding.”

Harry shrugs him off and continues pulling him down the stairs.

“The horses are sleeping, Harry.”

Harry snorts. “No they’re not. They don’t sleep ‘till at least one a.m..”

“Huh, how do you know that?” Louis asks.

They’re already down by the front door and pulling on their boots. Harry’s family isn’t home yet so they don’t worry about making too much noise.

“Used to spend many nights sleeping with Rosie. She’s warm and cuddly and a good listener.”

Louis nods and follows Harry into the cold. The door to the stables squeaks a bit when they open it, and Louis hopes that Brody isn’t watching.

“I’ll take Rosie obviously and you can take, umm, I’d say Daffie.”

Louis snorts unattractively and raises his eyebrows at Harry.

“Is that like a shortcut or something for daffodil?

Harry nods, proudly, and Louis rolls his eyes fondly. His boy and his flowers.

“I’ll go get the things, you get acquainted with him.”

He points at a black horse a bit further down and Louisnsuddeny doesn’t think it’s such a good idea anymore.

“It’s a him? Won’t he be like too wild or energetic or something?”

Harry lets out a loud laugh from behind the wall where the saddles are.

“Daffie is a big softie. Don’t be scared Lou!”

Louis scoffs. “I’m not scared.”

He still takes tentative steps toward the horse and only reaches out to pet him after he’s sure that he won’t bite his hand off.

Louis touches the horses muzzle and grins when he doesn’t attempt to bite him. Maybe this’ll work out after all.

Harry comes back with all the necessary things, and seriously, where’s he been hiding all of those muscles? Because Louis tried carrying a saddle once and he almost fell over.

“I’ll get Rosie all saddled up and then I’ll come over to help you, okay?”

Louis nods while Harry slides open the door to Rosie’s stall.

Harry immediately starts talking to her in a hushed tone, but Louis can still hear him and he unashamedly eavesdrops.

“We’re just gonna go on a quick ride, okay?”

He hears the soft thud of the saddle being put onto Rosie before Harry continues.

“When we’re out there you’ve gotta tell Daffie to behave. Don’t want him throwing Lou off. We want him to go on many more rides with us, got it?”

Louis grins and continues stroking Daffies muzzle. Harry is adorable.

Daffie nuzzles his forehead into Louis’ shoulder, almost knocking him down, and Louis lets out a surprised laugh.

“You okay?!” Harry shouts over to them, and Louis just shouts a “Yep!” back before turning back to the horse.

Louis pets his side and coos. “Geez, Daff. Be gentle. I’m not a horse, y’know.”

Maybe he does understand why Harry always talks to the horses.

***

After Harry has both horses ready he presses both Daffies and Rosie’s reins into Louis’ hand and tells him to meet him behind the stables.

Louis tells himself to calm down, that they won’t rip out of his grip and run away, and starts walking toward the side entrance slowly. The click-clack of the horses hooves on the stone beneath them surprisingly calming him. He’s done this before with the Wilsons horses, why should Harry’s be different?

He opens the doors and leads them to the spot where he’s supposed to meet Harry and waits. He assesses Daffies height and figures that there’s no way in hell that he’ll get up on him without at least a little of help, which is why he lets out a relieved sigh when Harry shows up with a small stepping ladder.

Harry takes over the reins and Louis makes a show off grumbling about the fact that he has to use a stepping ladder, when in reality he is really thankful. Harry probably knows that too.

Louis gets up without a hitch and grips the saddle for his dear life. Daffie shifts underneath him and Louis will forever deny that he let out a shriek.

Harry, bless him, ignores it and gets onto Rosie with ease. He hooks Daffies rein to Rosie’s saddle and tells Louis to hold on and tell him if he wants to stop.

Louis nods and Harry grins at him over his shoulder, pulling a white Stetson out of a side pocket on the saddle.

“Not a proper cowboy without a cowboy hat, I reckon,” Louis laughs.

Harry gestures to the saddle Louis is sitting on and his grin widens. “There’s one in there too, USA boy. Come on, let’s see it.”

Louis rolls his eyes but pulls the brown Stetson out nonetheless. He plops it onto his head unceremoniously and gives Harry the best “Howdy Partner” he can muster.

Harry almost falls from Rosie, that’s how hard he laughs, and Louis feels undeniably smug about it.

As soon as Harry has gotten himself back together he clicks his tongue and both horses start moving, startling Louis who’s been staring at a carefree, laughing Harry.

“Just hold on, Lou. Grip his mane if you have to.” He turns back to look at Louis and giggles. “And don’t sit so stiff, you’ll give yourself and Daffie back pain for the next few weeks.”

Louis nods and relaxes his body, moving with Daffies movements, immediately feeling better about riding. Maybe he’ll be able to pull through.

Harry points at the tree line in front of them and fixes the Stetson on his head.

“We’ll walk this pace up until there and then we’ll go a bit faster, okay? Otherwise we won’t get to the place I want to show you.”

Louis nods, even if he’s terrified, and grabs the saddle even harder. He tells himself he’ll be fine and that he won’t fall off, he’s still got the mane to come back to if he needs it after all.

***

Turns out that Harry was lying when he said “a bit faster”. As soon as they get onto the forest’s path he pats Rosie’s bum, resulting in her speeding up and galloping through the trees, pulling Louis and Daffie along with her.

Louis decides that this is an example of a moment where he’ll need the mane, and grips onto a big bushel of hair tightly.

Harry is laughing loudly in front of him, and Louis can’t help but grin as well when Harry turns around on his saddle for a second to check on him.

They end up at a clearing, not even ten minutes later, and Harry slows them down to a trot and then a stop. Louis is out of breath, and he shakes his head at himself when he realizes that he wasn’t even the one running.

Harry jumps off of Rosie and then stands beside Daffie to help Louis get down as well.

“So? What’d you think? Not too bad I hope.”

Louis shakes his head and smiles, kissing Harry to emphasize his point.

“Pretty good. 10/10 would recommend.”

He winks at Harry teasingly when he groans.

“You’re such an idiot, Lou.”

Louis shrugs. He whips out his phone from his back pocket, surprised it’s still there, and opens up the camera. He takes a picture of harry while he’s not looking, ignoring his protests when he sees the flash go off, and then opens snapchat.

“Come on, Love. We have to take a selfie with the horses and the hats. My mates in England will die when they wake up and see this.”

Harry rolls his eyes but obliges, cuddling into Louis’ side next to the horses, grinning widely. The flash hurts his eyes when it goes off, but he stays as still as he can until Louis deems the selfie perfect and saves it to his camera roll.

“Send it to me, yeah?”

Louis nods while posting the picture on snapchat and then Instagram. It’s not the first picture he’s posted with Harry, and is oddly proud of the small collection of selfies with him that are up on his profile.

Harry is tying the horses to a tree, making sure that they have enough room, and Louis watches him fondly. The moonlight makes his skin glow, and he looks even cuter than usual. Louis likes a few of his mate’s posts before he puts the phone back in his pocket and joins Harry where he had thrown himself into the grass.

He’s idly picking little white flowers from the high grass and weaving them into yet another crown.

“Wanna try, Lou? It’s pretty easy.”

Louis nods and gets down beside him, their sides touching. His bum is getting wet from the damp grass, but he can’t bring himself to care.

Harry grins and nudges Louis’ waist. “It’s easy, don’t worry. You can’t mess this up if you tried.”

Louis didn’t even realize that that he was biting his lip. He scoffs and fixes his hair to have something to do with his hands.

“I’m not scared. Come on, bring it on, Haz.”

Harry kisses his cheek before digging around beside him and giving Louis a handful of the little white flowers.

“They’re chrysanthemums. They grow like everywhere around here, so it doesn’t really matter if we take a few.” He holds up his almost halfway done flower crown and shows Louis the way they are supposed to fit together. “Now watch.”

Louis nods and looks over at Harry in order to follow his instructions.

“So the first thing you’ll want to do is choose a flower with a long stem and make a hole in the bottom of it with your nail.” He shows Louis how to do it and then gestures for him to try as well. “Then you just take another one and push it through all the way.”

He giggles into Louis’ shoulder when Louis’ stem breaks about halfway through the first step, and Louis can’t help but whine about the fact that he doesn’t have long fingernails like Harry to do it properly.

“Gentle, Lou.” He shows Louis how to do it again, and Louis lets out a loud whoop when he actually gets it, startling the horses.

“I did it!”

Harry gives him a chaste kiss before putting his head back on Louis’ shoulder and showing him how to do the rest.

Louis’ flower crown ends up crooked and with holes, but Harry still can’t contain his grin when Louis takes the Stetson off of him and gently sets it in his curls after he’s done.

***

When Louis gets back home that night, he googles flowers representing love, adoration, and everything in between, making a list of which flowers to pick up after school the next day.

And if he texts Liam and asks him what Harry’s favorite flower is, well, it isn’t technically cheating.

***

“I’ve already got the Asters, but they only have pink Carnations, Liam. It says that they’re supposed to be red.”

Liam shrugs from where he’s looking at sunflowers at the other side of the store.

“He’ll probably get what you mean by them anyway, just grab the pink ones. He won’t say no to being your boyfriend just because they’re a bit off color.”

Louis nods, that’s, well, reasonable, and grabs four carnations.

He checks off his list and realizes he’s still missing thornless violet roses, and he knew from the beginning that those will probably be a bit harder to get. They stand for love at first sight though, and Louis really wants them because ever since he’s collided with Harry in the stables he’s been on his mind 24/7.

“Excuse me, do you need any help?”

Louis looks up from the list at the elderly woman that owns the shop and he smiles.

“Yeah, actually, do you have violet roses? Thornless if possible.”

She nods and motions for him to follow him.

“We should have some in the back.” She takes a look into the bucket with the different flowers he’s holding and gives him a knowing look. “Do you want me to make a bouquet for the missus after I grab the roses?”

“Uh, actually I’m planning on weaving them into a flower crown, somehow.”

She raises her eyebrows and chuckles, bending down to grab 3 violet roses out of a small container.

“Then I’ll give you a small pocket knife to go with it. They tend to make the job easier.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” He smiles at her.

“No problem, dear. I don’t see many kids come in here anymore asking for flowers. Never mind ones with actual meaning.” She walks over to the cashier and rings him up. “Your girlfriend is very lucky.”

She hands him a bag with the flowers and a pocket knife like promised, and Louis nods, careful not to let the bag hit anything.

He pays her in cash, leaning against the counter to wait for Liam who’s picking out sunflowers.

“Boyfriend actually.”

She looks up from the small paper she’s been reading and furrows her eyebrows.

“Sorry, what?”

“He's actually my boyfriend, or well, I hope he will be after today. The person I’m getting the flowers for.”

Her face lights up and she smiles.

“Oh, does he like flowers a lot, then?”

Louis can’t help the fond grin escaping over his face.

“Yeah, he loves them. They’re like his favorite thing.”

Liam comes over then and puts the five sunflowers he’s been carrying onto the counter.

“What’s going on here then?”, he asks Louis. “You have the Harry face again.”

The woman perks up at his words and looks over at Louis.

“Oh, is your boyfriend Harry? Harry Styles?”

Louis grins and nods. “Yeah, in the flesh.”

Liam rolls his eyes next to him and takes his own bag of flowers from her.

“Please tell him hello from me, I haven’t seen him in ages. He hasn’t come into the shop ever since he’s told me about a certain boy moving in next door.” She winks at Louis. “I guess I’ve just met that boy, huh?”

Louis smiles bashfully and Liam is laughing next to him, nudging his side.

“Love from day one, am I right, Lou?”

Louis just rolls his eyes at Liam and mutters “oh, shut up. Like you’re one to talk.” under his breath. He knows Liam will make the half hour drive over to Zayns right after he drops Louis off back at home, and he also knows that Zayn's favorite flowers are sunflowers according to his Instagram bio.

They leave a few minutes later after promising to come back soon with Harry, and maybe, Louis realizes, not everyone in this fucked up town is fucked up.

***

When he gets dropped off at home by Liam after a quick stop at Walmart, he immediately walks up to his bedroom to call Harry, ignoring his host family that’s watching TV in the living room.

Harry whines when Louis tells him that he can’t hang out in the afternoon, until Louis gives him directions to meet him behind the stables at nine. He hangs up quickly when Harry starts to question him, and gets out the flowers.

He works on the crown as fast as he can, not wanting to be caught by Brody or Zeke, but it still takes close to three hours until he’s satisfied. All flowers range from red to pink to violet to blue and they look beautiful mixed together.

He walks down to the kitchen and wraps it into wet paper towels to keep the flowers fresh and then gets to work with the strawberries him and Liam had gotten at Walmart. It’s cheesy and overdone, but Louis really wants to make chocolate covered strawberries for Harry.

He washes them and melts the chocolate after asking Floyd if he can use the stove, and by the time he’s put them into a Tupperware container and cleaned the kitchen it’s already eight o’clock.

Louis puts the crown and strawberries into the Walmart bag and gets dressed in his skinny jeans and a baby blue button up his mom had made him bring to America. He quiffs his hair and puts on his nicer pair of vans before practically running to the stables.

He watched Harry closely when he got Daffie ready for the ride last time, so as soon as he finds everything Harry had used it’s quite easy to saddle up both horses. Luckily they’re both calm and don’t give him any problems, which means that he’s done ten minutes before nine and has enough time to get behind the stables without being seen by Harry on the way.

Louis carefully puts the Walmart bag into the pocket on the side of Daffies saddle, and sets the Stetson on his head. He quite likes it, makes the whole experience feel more legit.

Harry rounds the corner in a white T-shirt, Black skinny jeans and a pair of brown ankle boots, and when he sees Louis with the horses his whole face lights up. He sprints the rest of the way and throws his arms around Louis’ neck, jumping into his arms, throwing both of them into the grass.

Louis makes a loud ‘oof’ sound when he hits the ground, due to getting Harry’s elbow rammed into his ribs, but he still grins when Harry giggles into his neck and starts kissing him feverishly.

They make out for a while until Louis grumbles that his back hurts and that they have to get up. Harry giggles again and gets off of him, pulling them up until they’re standing again.

Harry looks over to the horses and then stares at Louis in bewilderment and awe.

“You actually listened and learned when I showed you how to saddle up Daffie.”

Louis grins and nods, squeezing Harry’s hand.

“Thought it might come in handy, yeah?”

Harry nods and gives him a quick peck before letting go of his hand and walking over to Rosie. He pulls out the white Stetson and pulls it over his curls, patting his white T-shirt to get rid of the dust from the ground.

“Where are we riding to?”

Louis picks up his Stetson from where it fell to the ground as well and gets up on Daffie. Yesterday Harry had shown him how to get up on him with ease, and by the ninth try he had it down.

“Thought we could go back to the clearing we were at yesterday?”

Harry nods and gets up as well, noticing that Daffies reins aren’t hooked to Rosie.

“Do you want me to hook you up, or do you want to try it without me.”

“Try without you. But only if we can not like, gallop. Please?”

He smiles sheepishly at Harry who grins back at him.

“Sure, Lou.” He pats Rosie’s side who starts walking, and Louis and Duffie follow quickly.

“Thanks for doing this, Lou. Y’know with the horses and all. I know you didn’t really like them much in the beginning.”

Louis would shrug, but he’s trying to hold his balance so he simply shakes his head.

“I guess I’m quite fond of Daffie now, yeah? Best buddies and all that.”

Harry giggles and looks at him over his shoulder.

“You’re an idiot.”

Louis scoffs.

“Am not. I’m the best person you’ve ever met.”

Harry smiles, and he does shrug because he’s had practice on horseback, smug bastard.

“Maybe. You’re definitely my favorite.”

They smile at each other until Harry turns away, blushing.

And when Harry speeds up after they enter the forest just to piss Louis off he doesn’t even complain.

***  
They throw themselves into the grass as soon as they get there, cuddling up in the same spot that they were sitting in yesterday. Harry has his head on Louis’ chest while Louis is running his fingers through his slightly sweaty curls.

They can faintly see the Milky Way above them since Oroville isn't really lit up at night, and Louis loves being able to see the stars for a change.

“We should come here like every night. This is so nice,” Harry sighs.

Louis nods and presses a kiss onto Harry’s forehead, making Harry’s dimple pop in his cheek.

“I love you, Lou.”

They both freeze up and Louis stops running his hand through Harry’s hair, making Harry panic and look up at him with wide eyes. He starts to get up but Louis holds him tighter and presses him back down onto his chest.

“Don’t panic, Love. I haven’t even said anything yet.”

Harry nods against his chest, still not looking at Louis.

“I love you too, Haz. Course I do.”

Harry looks up at him at that, smiling shyly.

“Really?”

Louis laughs and presses a kiss to Harry’s lips.

“Yeah, really.”

He kisses him again before he gently pushes Harry’s body off of his and walks over to where the horses are tied up. He gets the Walmart bag and sits down beside Harry again, taking his hand and kissing his palm when he looks at him confusedly.

“In fact, uh, I actually came here to give you something.”

He pulls the flower crown out of the bag and presents it to Harry who’s eyes widen comically.

“It’s beautiful,” he whispers.

Louis smiles and sets it on Harry’s head, making sure it’s sitting correctly before kissing Harry’s cheek.

“I was hoping we could be like, proper boyfriends. If you want us to.”

Harry nods and there are tears filling his eyes.

“Hey, love, don’t cry. It’s all okay.”

Louis pulls Harry into his arms and wipes away his tears, peppering his face with soft kisses.

“It’s okay, baby. Sorry that I made you cry.”

Harry shakes his head hides his face in Louis’ shoulder.

“It’s not your fault, Lou,” he sniffles. “It’s just you’re so good to me. You hang out with me even though you get called names for it in school and you learned how to saddle up the horses for me. You even made a goddamn flower crown just to ask me to be your boyfriend. I don’t get it, I don’t deserve it.”

Louis shushes him and presses a wet kiss to his lips.

“Of course you deserve it Harry. I love you, why shouldn’t I do those things for you?”

Harry shrugs.

“I don’t know. Nobody has ever done things like that for me.”

Louis smiles and rubs Harry’s back reassuringly.

“Well I am. And I’m going to spoil you rotten.”

Harry chuckles at that and kisses him. He pulls back when they run out of air and smiles at Louis.

“Of course,” he whispers.

Louis puts his arms around Harry’s shoulders, pulling him closer on his lap.

“Of course what?”

“Course I’ll be your boyfriend, Lou.”

  
***

Liam pulls up in front of Harry’s house exactly a week later, the back of Zayn's Range Rover packed to the brim with food and other things they’ll need for their trip.

He had asked Floyd if he could go with them a few days ago, and he’s been excited for it ever since she said yes.

Harry and him get into the backseat, Louis sliding through to the window and Harry sitting on the middle seat.

“Where’s Zayn?”

Liam makes a U-turn and drives back onto the dirt road leading to the street.

“I dropped him off at Niall’s this morning because he texted and asked for help. Apparently his mom won’t let him leave or something.”

“Oh,” Harry mumbles. “I feel bad for him. He’s like basically a parent to his own mother. I couldn’t do that.”

Liam shrugs. “Zayn says it’s always been that way. I guess he’s used to it, yea?”

Louis nods and pecks Harry and his joined hands reassuringly. He knows Harry thinks a lot about Niall’s situation.

He turns back to the front and raises his eyebrows at Liam when he looks at them through the rearview mirror.

“So what’s this with Zayn sleeping over at your house, hm naughty boy?”

Liam cringes and looks over his shoulder at louis with disgust.

“Don’t ever call me that again, Lou.”

Harry giggles and Louis grins.

“You didn’t answer my question LiLi.”

Liam shrugs. “We just, y’know, hang out together.”

“With your dick in his arse maybe.”

“Lou!”

Liam gives him an appalled look and turns back to the street, Harry is still giggling and hanging on to his arm though, so he counts it as success.

***

They pick up Zayn and a mud streaked Niall half an hour later, and when they ask Niall why he’s covered in dirt from head to toe he just shrugs and says that he had to bury his mothers pills somewhere because he can’t be there for her in an emergency. Harry gives him a hug and Louis gives him a soft smile when he looks over at him over Harry’s shoulder.

The drive from Niall’s trailer to Zayns cabin isn’t that long, and halfway through it starts snowing, lifting everyone’s spirits. They stop at a gas station to get hot coffee and tea, and then, not even 10 minutes later, they arrive at the huge cabin.

It’s surrounded by trees in complete privacy, and built completely out of dark wood. There’s a huge layer of snow on the roof even though it’s slanted, and there’s large windows looking out toward the road they just came from.

They park by the front door and Zayn gets out first to unlock it before everyone else follows. They grab all of their things from the back and head inside, shedding their winter coats as they go.

Louis looks at the comfortable furniture and painted pictures around them and gapes.

“This is amazing.”

Everyone else agrees with him, and Zayn nods his thanks and that he’ll tell his parents.

“Liam and I will take the room I always sleep in. It’s the one on the left. Ni can take the one across, and Lou and Harry the one next to ours. Okay?”

They put their stuff down in their rooms before meeting in the kitchen to cook some dinner. They had decided on spaghetti on the car ride over, and Louis and Harry volunteered to make it.

Niall is taking a needed shower, so Liam and Zayn set the table while Harry puts the water for the noodles on the stove. They let the water boil for a few minutes, lazily making out against the counter until the timer beeps and they have to separate to pour in the noodles.

“You’re okay with sharing a bed, right Haz? I forgot to ask you.”

Harry nods and gets out a saucepan for the tomato sauce.

“Sure. Never really done it before, but I want to share with you.” He looks at Louis over his shoulder and smiles, almost dumping the sauce onto the stove.

“Watch what You’re doing, babe,” Louis laughs.

Harry rolls his eyes and throws the can away when he’s done, turning around and pressing Louis against the counter.

Louis grins and kisses Harry, tasting the vanilla coffee he had gotten for him earlier.

“Love you, Haz,” he mumbles against Harry’s lips, letting his hands wander beneath Harry’s T-shirt on his lower back.

Louis is biting Harry’s lower lip when Niall comes in and slaps them both atop the heads, making them separate.

“Oi! No making out in the kitchen.”

Louis grumbles and pinches Niall’s waist before patting Harry’s bum playfully and helping him finish the food.

***

They’re sitting on the couch in the living room watching Batman an hour later, when Niall comes up with the idea of playing truth or dare.

Zayn groans because Niall is apparently ruthless when it comes to the game, but he gets off of Liam’s lap nonetheless and grabs an empty bottle from the bin in the kitchen.

They sit down in a circle on the rug when he’s back, and Niall grabs the bottle and clears the throat.

“No rules, no regulations. I’m starting.”

Louis shrugs, fine with him, and Niall spins the bottle to see who’s turn it is first. The bottle head stops at Liam’s feet and Niall whoops.

“So, Li. Truth or dare, bro?”

Liam ponders for a moment before answering with “Truth”.

Niall cackles. “Who tops, you or Zayn?”

Louis chokes and Harry blushes terribly, well then, seems like they’re getting right to it.

Liam doesn’t seem phased though, and only rolls his eyes at Niall.

“Me.”

Zayn is blushing now as well, and Liam does them all a favor by spinning the bottle. It’s Harry’s turn, and he chooses truth.

“What's your biggest dream in life?”

Niall groans in annoyance. “Liam. That’s not a Truth or Dare question, God.”

“Hey, Liam can ask whatever he wants to,” Zayn defends him.

Liam smirks at Niall who only scoffs. “Fine Leeyum. Harry, answer the question.”

Harry shrugs and thinks for a moment. “Umm, I guess having my own ranch. And a family. That’d be nice.”

Louis looks up at him and smiles.

“You want to have your own ranch?”

Harry grins. “Yeah. Been dreaming about it since I was like four.”

Louis nods and pets Harry’s thigh. “You’ll be good at that. Perfect for you.”

Harry grins at that and spins the bottle, daring Zayn to do the cinnamon challenge.

They go around for half an hour, taking turns answering weird and cynic questions from Liam, and more sexual ones from Niall, until the bottle lands on Harry again and he chooses Dare.

Niall grins evilly and Liam is laughing from where he’s sitting next to Zayn. Louis just feels bad for whatever Harry will have to do.

“I want to see the dirtiest kiss you can muster, right here.”

To Louis’ surprise, Harry simply shrugs and plops down in Louis’ lap, immediately slipping his tongue into his mouth. He grabs Louis’ hair in his hands and starts grinding down onto Louis’ crotch, making him moan low in his throat.

Louis would have never expected his cute, boyish Harry to be this filthy.

When they’re both hard in their jeans and starting to kiss sloppily, Liam flicks a gum wrapper at them.

“Lovebirds. Come on.”

Louis separates his mouth from Harry’s, breathless, and flicks it back.

Harry spins the bottle, and when it lands on Niall who chooses Dare, he tells him to jump into the snow naked.

***

Louis gets a text from Niall asking him if his plan worked out when they’re both lying in bed a little while later, Harry cuddled into Louis’ side.

Louis frowns in confusion and sends a what plan?? back.

The plan for u and hazzy to finally get it on ofcourse. Li told me u didn’t do it yet

I didn’t ask for u to kiss bc I wanted to see u with hardons obvs. What did U think????

Louis groans and sends back a no! U dumbarse. Get sum sleep. Gnite x

He plugs his phone into the wall and watches Harry fall asleep next to him, his eyelashes fluttering every so often.

He kisses Harry’s cheek softly, making him grumble incoherently in his sleep. Louis smiles and pulls Harry even closer, planning on falling asleep when he hears Liam and Zayn talk through the wall.

Not even five minutes later a loud moan disturbs the peace, and Louis rolls his eyes, turns them over and covers Harry with the blanket again.

He spoons Harry from behind and snuggles his face into Harry’s shoulder blades, trying to ignore the sounds of Liam fucking Zayn in the next room over.

***

  
“We should go build snowmen outside.”

“Niall, it’s freezing out there,” Louis groans, cuddling up even closer to Harry underneath the throw blanket.

Harry wiggles his cold toes underneath Louis’ thigh and when Louis raises his eyebrows at him he simply shrugs and says his toes are freezing, pushing his foot even further under him. Louis lets him of course.

Niall pouts at them.

“Come on, guys. It’ll be good. Build some american snowmen with us, Lou.”

Harry giggles and Louis groans again.

“Fine. But no snow fights.”

***

They got into at least six snow fights by the end of the day.

Louis is soaked where he’s sitting at the kitchen table, and Harry isn’t much better off. They’re both shivering while Niall makes a fire in the fireplace and Liam and Zayn are taking a warm shower. Apparently that’s a thing they do, shower together.

Also the cabin only has one bathroom, so they have to wait for their turn.

They take turns after the fire is lit and Liam and Zayn are back, finally warming up and dressing in dry clothes. Harry pulls on one of Louis’ sweaters even though it’s too small for him, just because it smells like him according to Harry.

Liam and Zayn whipped up some rice dish in the kitchen so they have a quick dinner before starting their game night. Zayns parents have an entire cupboard in the back of the cabin dedicated to board games, so they decide that everyone can choose one for the night.

They start with Harry’s choice, scrabble, then play rummikub for Zayn and two rounds of poker for Liam because Niall cheated in the first.

Louis picked monopoly, and it takes them almost two hours until they have the money counted and the winner is chosen at the end of the game. Louis let Harry win of course, slipping him bills under the table throughout the game. He reckons the others know but are just too nice to say anything.

Everyone groans when Niall pulls out Cards against humanity, but they still have fun playing it, making up the weirdest sentences. Niall wins and it doesn’t surprise anyone.

They clean everything up and Louis and Harry head to bed not long after, letting the other three play PlayStation in the living room. Louis hasn’t kissed Harry properly since this morning in bed, and he decides that that’s definitely about to change.

As soon as they get into the room he’s on Harry, letting their lips mold together like so often before. He pushes Harry to the bed and crawls on top of him, pushing their crotches together and letting his tongue swipe deliciously against Harry’s.

Harry is completely pliant beneath him, groaning whenever Louis rubs against his clothed dick or bites his lip. Louis moans loudly when they take a second to catch their breath and grabs onto the shorter hair at Harry’s nape, letting Harry’s hips buck up into his.

He kisses up Harry’s neck, biting into his skin to leave small marks. He can feel Harry’s dick against his thigh and Louis really wants to do something about it.

“Fuck, baby,” he groans against Harry’s mouth. “Please let me suck you off?”

Harry frantically nods beneath him and closes his eyes, grabbing Louis’ shoulders and pushing him down.

Louis lifts up Harry’s shirt revealing his soft but toned stomach, and for his own pleasure licks a long stripe from Harry’s sternum all the way down to the dark hairs forming his happy trail leading into his black briefs. Harry lets out a shuddery breath beneath him and grabs a handful of Louis’ hair.

“Please, Lou. ‘M so horny.”

Louis nods and wastes no time pushing down Harry’s sweatpants, palming him through his briefs until Harry lets out a large string of precum, soaking the front of the black material. He leans down and sucks on the tip of Harry’s dick through the material, hearing Harry moan loudly above him.

He pulls the waistband of the briefs underneath Harry’s balls, leaving hickeys on Harry’s thighs while his dick jumps free and falls on his stomach.

Louis looks up at Harry who still has one of his hands in Louis’ hair and the other clenched in the bedsheets, eyes squeezed shut and back arched in pleasure.

“Fuck, you look so good like this, Haz,” Louis moans before grabbing Harry’s dick with his hand and giving it a tentative stroke.

“You’re so fucking big too, baby. Bet you taste so good.”

He rubs Harry’s cock head with his right hand, spreading precum over his length for an easier glide. Harry mewls above him when he strokes his slit with his thumb, making beads of precum run into Louis’ palm.

Harry is boneless, lost in pleasure and letting out tiny whines every few seconds without even knowing it. His grip in Louis’ hair is tight, but Louis loves the pain, licking a stripe up Harry’s length before taking the head into his mouth, sucking gently.

Louis sets his left hand on Harry’s stomach, knowing that he’ll try to buck up into the tight heat sooner or later. Harry whines and pushes his head into the pillow next to him.

Louis bobs his head up and down a few times before taking his mouth off of Harry’s dick with a pop, taking Harry’s hand where it’s gripping his wrist.

“You’re doing so good, babe. You close?”

Harry nods and looks down at him with wide eyes, groaning and rambling incoherently.

Louis squeezes his hand and pats his waist, urging him to speak up.

“You okay, baby? C’mon, use your words.”

Harry continues nodding. “Yeah, please. S’good Lou. Please, please. I’m so close.”

Louis grins up at him, keeping eye contact when he sinks down on his length, making Harry curse and tighten the grip in Louis’ hand.

“Lou, please. I’m so close. Shit, yeah.”

Louis pays attention to his head, tonguing Harry’s slit with fast flicks of the tip of his tongue. He grabs Harry’s heavy balls with his right hand and then Harry’s dick lurches in his hand and he’s coming down Louis throat in hot spurts with a loud moan.

He swallows it all and pops free as soon as Harry stops cumming, licking his sensitive length clean, making Harry hiss. He's breathless under louis, his stomach rising and falling erratically while he catches his breath.

Harry’s dick gets one last peck from Louis before he pulls the briefs out from underneath his balls and tucks Harry back in, crawling up Harry’s body to kiss him.

“Shit. That was amazing, Lou.”

Louis laughs, breathless as well, and lays down next to Harry.

“Fuck yeah it was.” He smiles over at him. “Not too shabby for your first blowjob, yeah?”

Harry giggles and shakes his head. “You were perfect.”

They catch their breaths for a few more moments before Louis gestures to his own dick that’s straining against his briefs.

“You mind if I?”

Harry shakes his head and watches Louis take his cock out from under his waistband, stroking it with a familiar flick of his wrist. Harry groans when Louis’ body shudders from pleasure, and he can’t help but take over and take Louis’ hard length into his fist.

“Fuck, baby, yeah. Just like that.”

Harry rubs his fist up and down Louis’ length a few times to test the waters, grinning when Louis moans and a string of courses escapes his mouth.

He thumbs Louis’ slit like Louis did with his earlier, applying pressure to the rest of Louis’ dick, and then Louis is cumming hard over Harry’s fist and onto his stomach. He can feel Louis’ length pulsing in his hand and Harry can’t help the moan that escapes his lips, that is so hot.

Louis is coming down from his high while Harry sucks the cum off of his fingers, surprised by the not-so-terrible taste. He leans down over Louis to lick the rest of the cum off of his stomach and then tucks him back in as well, snuggling into Louis’ side and pulling the blanket up over them.

Louis gives him a chaste kiss and buries his hand in Harry’s hair to massage his scalp until he falls asleep. Not even five minutes later they’re both out like a light.

***

The next morning they get up early and drive to a small frozen lake that’s near the cabin to ice skate. Zayn had rummaged in the basement for a while until he found his family’s old ice skates and passed them out to the others. Some are obviously too big and some are too small, but they’ll make due.

The small lake, as it turns out, is really small. Probably not even twenty meters in diameter, and more like a big puddle, but they’re alone and there’s enough room for five people, so that’s all that matters.

Zayn parks a few meters away from where the ice starts and everyone ties on their skates before carefully walking through the snow and stepping onto it. It’s not as slippery as ice in an actual ice rink would be, and it’s definitely bumpier, but Louis enjoys it nonetheless.

Harry is hanging onto his arm for his dear life because he’s never skated before, and how has that happened? Where has Harry been all his childhood?

“Lou, go slower.”

Louis laughs and goes even faster, pulling a wobbly legged Harry along with him.

“No way, babe. Remember the first ride into the forest? This is my revenge.”

He pulls Harry up and in front of him before pushing him face first into the fluffy snow at the side of the ice.

Harry immediately turns around and gapes at him, letting out an incredulous laugh.

“You didn’t just do that, Lou.”

Louis laughs and skates away from him.

“Oh yeah I did, Haz. You better believe it!”

Harry tries to get back up and follow Louis onto the ice, but it’s too slippery and he keep falling back into the snow.

“Louuu,” he whines. “Please help me.”

He pouts for good measure until Louis skates over to him effortlessly, grinning.

“Got a problem, babe?”

Harry gives him a deadpan look and Louis laughs before holding out his hand to help him up.

He gets pulled down onto Harry instead.

***

“This is so good, what is it?”

All four of them stop eating to stare at Louis.

“It’s a corn dog, Lou. Please tell me you’ve had a corn dog before.”

Louis shakes his head and takes another bite.

“No but it’s really good. Like the Hot Dogs at the rodeo.”

Niall grins and high fives him.

They’re still next to the ice, sitting in the trunk of the car and eating lunch. Louis and Niall are the only ones eating corn dogs while the rest are eating the leftovers from the past two days since they’d rather chop their hand off than eat anything containing hotdogs.

“You’re like Julie Andrews in the princess diaries.”

Nobody aside from Harry has ever seen that movie, so they all just shrug and resume eating.

“Mate, we’ve gotta make these more often.”

Zayn gags and Liam pretends to hurl into the snow next to them.

Louis pouts at all of them and begrudgingly takes another bite, Niall cackling next to him, getting another corn dog out the insulated bag keeping their food warm.

“Haz. They’re being mean.”

He leans closer to Harry and puckers his lips for a kiss, pouting again when Harry only smacks a kiss to his cheek.

Harry giggles and pushes louis away when he whines at him.

“I’m not kissing you while you’re eating that. No way.”

Louis leans his head on Harry’s shoulder and rubs his face into his boyfriend's neck, pressing kisses over the already formed love bites.

“You’re my boyfriend, babe. Give me attention.”

Harry laughs and almost snorts out the sprite he’s been drinking.

“You’re acting like a dog, Lou.”

Louis looks up at him and grins, teeth showing.

“A cute one though, yeah?”

“Oh for god's sake, guys! Stop all that fucking love crap. Let's get back on the ice.”

Niall grabs the front of Louis’ coat and pulls him off of the truck out of nowhere, almost making him trip and fall. He still has the corn dog in his hand, but Niall doesn’t seem to care when he pushes him onto the ice.

The others follow after packing up the food, and they start a game of hockey using sticks and a balled up piece of tinfoil. It’s kind of really terrible since the foil doesn’t really slide and Harry is too scared to let go of Louis, and after two hours of passing the tinfoil back and forth they still haven’t been able to get it passed Liam into the makeshift goal.

Niall lets himself plop down on to the ice, stretching out like a starfish.

“Whatcha wanna do guys?”

Zayn shrugs. “We can have some snacks, and then like drive back if you want to. It’s already late and I don’t want to drive in the dark because I probably wouldn’t remember the way back.”

Niall perks up at the word ‘snacks’ and jumps back up, surprisingly landing on his skates and not back on his bum.

Louis is about to compliment him on that when there’s a loud crack and half of the ice on the pond gives way, submerging Louis, Harry and Niall under ice cold water.

Harry is still clinging to him, now panicking and pulling him down even further. Louis is trying to get to the surface, and the water isn’t even that deep, but Harry is like dead weight on his wrist and he simply can’t.

He’s about to let himself sink down and find the bottom to push off of when a hand reaches into the water and pulls them up by the back of his coat. They breach the surface and the first thing out Louis’ mouth is a loud “Fuck that’s cold!”, that makes Zayn snicker next to him.

“It’s ice water, bro. What’d you expect? A beach in Spain?”

Louis shows him the middle finger when Harry and him are both sitting safely in the snow. Harry is shivering terribly next to him, and he lost his gloves and skates from wiggling so much underwater which only makes the snow burn his bare skin where he’s sitting.

Louis gets up quickly, shivering as well, and with the help of Zayn they get Harry up on his feet as well and over to the truck where a red faced Niall is already wrapped up in blankets.

“Shit, I’m so sorry, guys.”

Louis waves him off.

“Don’t worry, we’re both fine.” He sits Harry down in the back and starts undressing him. “Nothing against a quick afternoon swim, huh?”

Niall chuckles through his teeth chattering and Louis puts Harry’s extra coat onto his upper body before wrapping him into two towels like a burrito.

He pushes Harry’s wet hair out of his face and puts Liam’s hat onto his head. “You okay, baby?”

Harry nods and gives Louis a thankful and blue lipped smile.

“J-just a scare. S-sorry for dragging you down. I-in the water.”

Louis pats Harry’s chest through the blankets and starts taking off his wet clothes as well, now that Harry’s safe he’s feeling the cold deep into his bones.

“There’s nobody I’d rather play Leonardo DiCaprio with.”

Harry rolls his eyes before snuggling into the blankets and scooching over to make room for Louis in the back. Zayn undresses and gives Louis his coat since there’s no more blankets, and closes the trunk behind them.

Zayn and Liam get into the front of the car and turn the heat on blast, making sure that all of them are really fine and that nobody is hurt.

Harry laughs next to him. “If somebody would see our car from the outside now it’d be all fogged up.”

Louis shrugs. “Again, there’s nobody I’d rather play Leonar-“

Harry takes his arm out of his cocoon and slaps his hand over Louis’ mouth. “Oh shut up, Lou,” he laughs, and when Louis just shrugs again and grins against Harry’s palm, he giggles.

He’s so in love with that boy.

“I love you,” he mumbles against Harry’s palm.

Harry still understands him though and takes his hand away, sticking it back under the blankets. He grins at Louis.

“Love you too.”

***

An hour later they’re all completely warmed up, and Zayn is fidgeting in the front seat.

“Guys, like, bare with me, but it’s dark out and I’m not really sure how to get home. Like, I know the way by memory but the streets aren’t lit.”

The three in the back shrug, it’s not like it’s Zayns fault that they were caught up, and Liam squeezes Zayn's hand in his lap.

“It’s okay. We can try. I’ll bet some of us can help out, yeah?”

Zayn nods and starts the ignition, backing up in the deep snow. They talk about this and that while he drives on the first few winding roads, taking turns when he thinks they’re right, and they don’t really watch where they’re going because they assume Zayn kind of knows what he’s doing.

When they end up at the same crossing they just passed not even ten minutes ago Zayn sighs and parks at the side of the road.

“Can any of you guys check if you can use google maps?”

They all pull their phones out and check their internet connection, trying different hotspots and angles, but they end up with nothing and Zayn admits defeat.

“Guess we’ll be staying here, like, ‘til the morning or something.”

They all nod and work on folding the chairs down to make the entire back of the car one surface to sleep on. Zayn and Liam climb into the back as well after turning off the car and locking the doors to make sure no one or nothing can come in.

Louis doesn’t want to think about the fact that they’re about to sleep in a car in the middle of the forest. That’s like the beginning of every horror story.

When the blankets are spread out to make it more comfortable and they're all lying down somewhere, Liam suggest playing a round of ‘Confessions’ to waste time.

Louis’ phone's flashlight is the only light in the car, and it’s strangely cozy and not at all scary like Louis would’ve thought. Harry is cuddled into his side and Niall is sitting up against the driver’s seat next to them, across from Zayn and Liam. He has all of his boys surrounding him, and they’d probably kill anyone trying to stir trouble.

“I kissed my maths teacher once at my old school,” Zayn laughs. “That’s why I’m at Niall’s now. Worked out good for us, eh, bro?”

Liam laughs next to him and wraps a hand around his waist. “Was she fit at least?”

“Babe, it was man. And he wasn’t even gay, turns out.”

Louis snorts. “Tough luck mate.”

Zayn grins. “Yeah, right.”

Louis nudges Harry’s side. “Got anything to confess, Haz?”

Harry shrugs and smiles at him cheekily.

“I guess. After I saw you for the first time I would constantly follow you around. And when I saw you walk into the stable I was going to follow you to finally introduce myself, but well, I embarrassed myself instead.”

Louis coos and snuggles into Harry’s shoulder.

“My little stalker Hazzie.”

Zayn makes retching noises across from them, but Louis is too busy giving Harry Eskimo kisses.

“I stole three of my fathers heifers and sold them to a neighbor in order to have enough money for Haz and me when went to table mountain casino with our parents. For the kids arcade games.”

Louis gapes at him. “You actually did that?”

Liam laughs and nods. “Yeah. This was like. What? Two years ago?”

“You said you earned the money you dick!” Harry lunges at Liam and pinches his waist. “You’re telling me we spent three whole heifers on dumb racing games and pizza?”

Liam grins. “Yep.”

Harry rolls his eyes before getting off of him and crawling back to Louis, muttering “you’re crazy” under his breath.

When Harry is settled again Louis turns to Niall and flicks his thigh.

“What’s your confession then, Ni? You’ve been awfully quiet, there must be something in your head.”

Niall shrugs and looks down at the boots he’s wearing. “I really want to go to college.”

Liam smiles at him. “Well that’s good. I guess you’re the only one out of us five.”

Louis nods along and grins. “Yeah, what’s stopping you, Mate? Have you applied yet?”

Niall doesn’t smile along with them though, and Zayn looks worried from where he’s sitting pressed up to Liam.

“Am I missing something?”, Harry’s asks.

“Yeah. Well, I applied. And I got accepted too.”

Louis nudges Niall happily and is about to hug him when he speaks up again.

“I’m not going though.”

Louis’ hands drop and his brow furrows.

“What? Why?”

“It’s kind of far away. In New York.”

“And?”, Louis presses. “New York is probably a great city.”

Niall sighs. “I can’t just up and leave my mom, Lou. And how the hell am I supposed to pay for that. All the flights, all the food and the cost of attending is already more money than me and my mom have seen in our entire life.”

“But, -“

“It’s not fucking happening, Lou!”, Niall snaps.

Louis backs off and sits down next to Harry again.

“Sorry, Ni. You know I just want to help ya.”

“I know. Sorry, Lou. I just really don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

Louis nods and Zayn gives Niall a quick hug before they all promise him that they’ll work something out together and get Niall into college.

Niall rolls his eyes, but everyone can tell that he’s tearing up from their gesture.

“Do you have some weed with you, Zayn?”

Zayn nods and grins at Niall. “Course, man. Want some?”

Niall nods and Zayn gets all the necessities for rolling a joint out of the glove compartment, almost toppling over from excitement.

“Guys, we can have like our own personal hotbox in here.”

He sits down next to Liam and gets out a piece of almost translucent paper before starting the whole process with practiced ease.

“If Harry is okay with it of course. Don’t want to get you high if you’d rather not.”

Harry says yes to everyone’s surprise, and even takes a tentative drag from the third joint they light later that night. Liam and Zayn end up shotgunning more than taking actual drags by ten o’clock, and by twelve they’re all fast asleep, tired from the day’s activities, and having completely forgotten to air out the car.

***

They wake up high as a kite due to the smoke still lingering in the dense air in the car, and Zayn probably shouldn’t drive but he does anyway, swerving dangerously close to the trees around them on more than one occasion.

And turns out, they weren’t even two minutes from the cabin the entire night.

“There’s a small breakfast place, it’s kind of close to here. They have waffles and pancakes if you guys wanna go?”

Zayn is holding Liam’s hand in his lap, smiling at him over the center console while he’s waiting for their approval. Louis thinks it’s sickening but maybe also kind of really cute, that’s probably just the weed talking though.

“Hell yeah! Is that even a question?”

Niall is practically vibrating next to them, excited at the prospect of food. The others learned real quick that Niall gets the munchies almost instantly after taking just a drag, resulting in him stuffing himself until he physically can't anymore.

Louis shrugs. “Sure, let's go. I could go for some pancakes.” He turns to Harry who’s clinging to Louis’ arm sleepily next to him. “You wanna go?”

Harry's pretty out of it, but honestly Louis isn’t really surprised. This was Harry’s first time getting high, and Harry is a very affectionate person to begin with, so the fact that the marijuana tenfolded the amount of affection he is giving Louis isn’t very unsurprising.

Harry whines and rubs his face into Louis’ side. “Louuu. Can we jus’ go home and cuddle and maybe get off or somethin’?”

Liam chokes in front of them and Niall leans over to give a confused Harry a high five, cackling like a madman.

Zayn rolls his eyes at all of them, looking at Louis who’s blushing and raising his eyebrows at him as if asking “So you gonna get out of the car now or what?”.

“Uh, you sure, babe? Are you not hungry?”

Harry shakes his head and starts opening the door drowsily, pulling Louis with him.

“ ‘m not hungry, just horny.”

Niall laughs even louder at that and kicks Louis’ shin, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Louis kicks him back and shows him the finger.

“Bring me some chocolate chip pancakes, fuckers. And bring some hot chocolate for Harry too. With the small marshmallows.”

Zayn nods and throws him the keys to the cabin, winking.

“Have fun, boys. Don’t do it on the couch.”

Louis groans and jumps out of the car, almost colliding with Harry who’s just standing there. He grins and shakes his head fondly before grabbing Harry’s wrist and pulling him into the house.

Harry is falling all over the place, giggling and holding on to Louis’ arm.

“Come here, love, lets drink some water and then we’ll take a nap, yeah?”

Harry nods and leans against Louis’ back when he grabs a water bottle from the fridge, running his hands up and down Louis’ front.

“Can we just go now? I wanna give you a blowjob, Lou.”

Louis chokes on the sip of water he was swallowing when Harry grabs Louis’ dick through his jeans and palms him, groaning into Louis’ ear.

“Haz, cmon. You’re high right now. The only thing you should be doing is sleep, okay?”

He turns around in Harry’s grip and separates Harry’s hand from his groin.

Harry whines and sends Louis a glare before storming off into the bedroom, taking the water bottle with him.

Louis has to fix himself in his jeans before following him, not wanting to give Harry the wrong impression about what they’re about to do, nap. But that turns out to be for nothing anyway when he enters the bedroom and finds Harry with his hand under his briefs, furiously rubbing himself.

When he sees Louis enter he moans loudly and scoots over on the bed to let Louis have some space next to him, cuddling into his side and laying his head on his thigh as soon as Louis sits down.

“Lou, please. Do somethin’.”

He arches his back and bites into Louis’ thigh through his jeans, overwhelmed.

“Take your briefs off, baby. Cmon. You’ll feel better.”

Harry nods and pulls his briefs down sloppily, letting them rest on his thighs. His dick is purple and hard against Harry’s tummy, leaking precum like crazy, and Harry definitely wasn’t lying when he said that he is horny.

Louis really doesn’t want to touch Harry without his explicit consent though, so he sticks to petting Harry’s hair and talking him through it.

Harry is grinding down against the bedsheets to try and get the right amount of friction, whimpering into Louis’ groin area.

Louis leans down and kisses Harry’s forehead, ignoring Harry’s damp breathing against his own dick.

“Baby, touch yourself.”

Harry nods and obliges, taking his right hand and wrapping it around his length, bucking into the tight heat of his fist.

Louis presses kisses to Harry’s neck while watching him bring himself to the edge.

“Yeah that’s it babe, you’re doing so good love.”

He’s moaning out little “Uh, uh, uh’s” while he firsts himself and gets closer to release, and honestly Louis deserves an award for not combusting right there.

“ ‘m so close, Lou. Please do somethin’. Shit, ahh.”

Louis presses his lips to Harry's that are parted in a silent scream, and reaches down to tweak one of Harry’s nipples, making Harry buck his hips one last time before shuddering and spurting hot ropes of cum all over his stomach and fist.

Louis continued kissing Harry softly until Harry is lax against his side, sated and relaxed.

He waits until Harry’s breathing has calmed down before he gets up and walks into the bathroom to get a flannel for the mess Harry’s made. He wipes him clean while Harry mumbles his thanks and presses small kisses onto Louis’ wrist, before returning to the bathroom to throw away the towel and have a quick wank.

It doesn’t take much, and after rubbing over his length one, two, three times, he’s shooting into the palm of his hand, trying to suppress his groans.

He cleans up and then walks back into the bedroom, slipping out of his jeans and changing into sweats for a nap.

Harry is still curled up in bed, completely pliant and hair askew. Louis slips in next to him and spoons him from behind, running his hands up and down Harry’s torso as if he were rubbing a cats belly.

Harry sighs in content and grabs one of Louis‘ hands, intertwining their fingers and holding them against his chest.

They lay like that for a few moments until Harry turns around and nudges Louis’ cheek with his nose.

“Lou.”

Louis smiles and presses a kiss to Harry’s cheek, making him cuddle into Louis’ side even more.

“Yeah? What’s up, babe?”

“I’m hungry.”

***

Louis wakes up to an endless amount of “Happy birthday!” messages a week later.

They had left the cabin for home on the fourth day, packing everything back into the truck and saying goodbye to all of their freedom. Now that they’re all back with their parents, or in Louis’ case host parents, they can’t just go frolicking around anymore like they did up in the snow.

He’s laying in his bed in Brody’s bedroom, responding to all of his friends tweets and text messages wishing him a good day, but all he really wants to do is go over to Harry’s and have a nice cuddle to distract him from the fact that this is his first birthday without his family.

Floyd had told him yesterday that’d she’d make a cake for him and they’d have a small birthday party in the morning, which is why he told Harry to meet him later in the afternoon. It’s already eleven o’clock though, so Louis gets up and dressed and walks into the kitchen where a large chocolate cake saying “Happy Birthday Louis!” is waiting for him.

Harry hasn’t texted him yet, and as if Harry knew that Louis is thinking about him his phone lights up with a message from him on the counter just as he sets it down.

Happy birthday Lou!!!! I love you!! Still mad at u for not coming over this morning :(  
-H xx

He grins and is about to type out a reply when he hears footsteps right outside of the kitchen.

Floyd must have heard him come down, because she walks into the room with Hayden hot on her heels and gives him a short hug, pressing Louis’ face into her breasts. He still appreciates the gesture though and squeezes her back.

Hayden hugs him as well and wishes him a happy birthday before jumping over to the cabinet and getting out three plates.

Floyd cuts three pieces and puts them on the plates, handing one to each Louis and Hayden.

“Brody and Zeke are fishing, I think.” She shrugs. “Birthdays aren’t really their thing.”

Louis nods, he’d rather have them not be here anyway. He takes a bite of the cake and downright moans, it’s so good. He really should start watching his weight.

“This is so good Floyd, thanks.”

“No problem.” She smiles and nods, putting their dishes into the sink after they’re done. “We got something for you and your parents also sent you a present over. They’re in the living room.”

He follows them while texting Harry back, thumbing out a quick reply before Floyd presses a present into his hands.

I’ll try to sneak some chocolate cake for u later babe. See you at 4 luv u xxxxxxx

She gives him a small packet first, wrapped in green and blue wrapping paper.

“This one's from us. We thought you could use it while you’re here and not depend on your friends and Brody as much.”

Louis opens the packaging, revealing a small box with a key inside. It’s a old, rusty thing. But he knows what it is before she even says anything, and honestly, this is like the best present ever.

“It’s my dad’s old truck. It’s been standing in the garage for the last five years and I had Zeke put some work into it. Didn’t even cost a tanner so don’t worry about it.”

Louis grins and hugs her again. She’s probably his favorite.

“Now, your parents sent you something as well. Hold on, let me get it.”

She gets up and walks to the fireplace, picking up an envelope and handing it to him. He kind of wants to cry when he sees his mother's handwriting on the front, but he restraints himself.

It’s just a simple card with an ostrich on the front, probably picked out by his sisters, and there’s a short-ish text inside in Lottie’s handwriting above all of his family’s signatures.

Hey LouLou!

Happy birthday you old arse. (Mom told me to scratch that out but I didn’t, ha) Can’t believe you’re 19! We all miss you very very much and can’t wait for you to come home even though your bedroom is the biggest and your bed is the comfiest. Mom is still hoping that you'll bring a boy home with you, but let’s be real. We all know you’re too ugly.

So you’re probably wondering why there’s no money in here, like, where’s the present? So here it is:

Mom’s paying for a trip to San Francisco!

With your 4 friends of course (apparently you told her about them before? The Texan one or something, no?) She’s going to send you the money as soon as you FaceTime us after you read this. So you better. We wanna talk to your ugly mug.

Happy bee-day the twins say!

Love,  
All of us.

Louis has tears in his eyes but he quickly blinks them away, looking up to see Floyd and Hayden watching him.

Hayden is standing on her tippytoes to see what’s in the card, and Louis laughs when she nearly topples over.

“What’d they get you?”

He hands her the letter to let her read it herself since she wants to see it, and grabs his phone from his back pocket.

“Do you mind if I just call them real quick?”

Floyd shakes her head and waves him off.

“Of course not, honey. Do whatever it is you want to do. You probably have something with your friends planned afterward, so don’t let us stop you.”

She smiles at him and he thanks her before patting Hayden on the hand and rushing up the stairs, already pressing call next to his mother's name. He sits down on his bed while he waits for his mother to pick up, making sure that he looks presentable and won’t get scolded for looking like a bum.

The call connects a few seconds later, and she shushes him before he can even start speaking.

“Don’t you dare say anything Louis William. We all know you’ve been wanting to go and you deserve it.”

Louis whines and pouts at his mother.

“But Mom, it’s so much money. I’m sure you could use it for something better. Like that coffee machine you really want. I saw it on your wishlist in amazon.”

“Uh-Uh. Your trip is already done and paid for, no whining.”

Louis continues to pout, but he still presses a kiss to his phone’s camera to make sure she knows that he really appreciates it.

“Thanks mom, I love you. And say thank you to dad as well, yeah?”

She nods and he can see Lottie come into the shot behind her.

“LouLou! How’s my ugly brother.”

Louis feigns being offended and clutches a hand to his chest.

“I’ll think about the fact that you called me ugly in my birthday card when it comes around to how much money you’ll inherit from me, don’t you worry, love.”

Their mom turns around to glare at Lottie.

“You called him ugly in the card? Lottie! I told you to write something nice.”

“Sure. It was really nice.” Louis scoffs, but he’s smiling so she knows it doesn’t bother him.

Lottie flips him off behind their mom and he gives her a sweet smile back, two can play this game.

“Oh, Louis! You won’t believe it! Lottie’s gotten herself a boyfriend.” She turns back toward Lottie and pats her waist. “All proper grown up she is now, I reckon.”

Louis raises his eyebrows at Lottie and smirks. “Oh, is that so? Do I have to come over there and check him out or has dad already done so?”

His mom smiles and waves him off.

“Ryan’s really nice. We’ve had dinner with him like every night this week. He’s a proper gentleman as well, pulling out the chair for the girls and waiting for everyone else to get their food first.”

Lottie is blushing from where she’s crouching behind their mom and Louis grins.

“Well, tell me the story then. How’d you two soulmates meet?”

Lottie rolls her eyes and gets up.

“I have to go. He just texted me that he’s waiting outside.”

“No don’t go,” Louis whines and pouts at her. “I haven’t talked to you in ages and I really wanna know more about him. He’s sitting on my chair at dinner, I have the right.”

She smiles and waves a “bye, Lou, love you!” over her shoulder anyway.

“She’s really happy with him, Lou. Don’t worry so much.”

Louis shrugs. “Yeah. I guess. I just want to know what’s going on over there with you guys. And I don’t want her to get hurt.”

His mom gives him a soft smile and Louis really wishes he could jump through the screen and hug her.

“She won’t. She knows what she’s doing. And if she gets her heartbroken, well, she’s a big girl, yeah? She can handle it.”

Louis hums and looks at the picture Harry had printed out and framed for him for his birthday. He’d given it to him yesterday, wanting to be the first one to give him something, and Louis hasn’t really stopped looking at it ever since. He put it on his nightstand in a way that Brody wouldn’t be able to see it from his side of the room.

It’s the picture of them in the clearing with the Stetsons and the horses in the background, both of them with easy grins on their faces. When Liam had seen the picture on Instagram he’d teased them endlessly about it, calling them out for the fact that they look like an old married couple on some road trip, but Louis loves the picture nonetheless.

“Hello? Earth to Louis?”

His mom is waving frantically over the screen at him.

“Ah! There you are. We lost you there for a sec.”

Louis grins sheepishly at her and pushes the picture to the back of his mind. It’s not like his parents know Harry. Or will ever get to know him, as a matter of fact, so why should he tell them about him?

They’ll only fuss about him and make a big deal out of his feelings when he has to come back home and leave Harry behind. And honestly, he wants to spare himself the embarrassment.

“Yeah. Sorry. Spaced out there for a sec.”

“That’s okay. I was just saying that we should talk again tomorrow. It’s Christmas obviously and Ryan is coming over to put the star on the tree. You can meet him then if you want to.”

Louis can’t help but feel a bit like they’re replacing him with Ryan. He’s been putting the star onto the tree for the last 18 years, and now some other guy, who’s also been sitting in his chair in the dining room, is going to do it. Part of him knows that his fear of being replaced is irrational, that they’re only letting him because he’s not there, but still. It stings a bit.

“Oh, he’s putting the star up. Nice.”

His mom nods and smiles at him.

“Phoebe and Daisy both requested him to do it. He took them for ice cream last week and ever since then they’ve been obsessed with him.”

Louis chuckles, albeit strained, because he can’t conspire against Ryan with those two now either and that’s a thing they normally do, conspire against Lottie’s boys.

“I can imagine. Those two are like bottomless pits when it comes to ice cream.”

Louis’ mom laughs and he grins at her, only six more months he chants in his head.

“Well, I’m going to let you go have a nice day with your friends, okay?”

Louis nods and promises to call her more often before she hangs up with a last smile and kiss at him. He can’t help but notice that her eyes are a bit teared up as well though, and sends her a watery smile in return.

He’ll be back with her in no time, none of this is permanent, which is exactly why he hasn’t told his family about Harry. He’s leaving in six months again and there’s no way that they can continue their relationship when he’s back in England.

Realizing that in less than half a year Harry won’t be part of his life anymore has him tear up again and putting the picture of them under his bed.

Just his luck. Meeting the greatest people and falling in love thousands of miles away from where he lives.

Seems like something he’d do.

***

Half an hour later he finds himself in the stables, cuddled up with Daffie on the floor of her stall. He didn’t even know that is a thing horses do, lay down that is, but he’s thankful for it because Daffie is a great listener and a great cuddler.

He’s telling him all about the misery and distress in his life, while petting the horse between the ears where his head is laying in Louis’ lap. Kind of like Harry, if Louis is being honest.

Sometime halfway through his rant he starts crying because he’s homesick and he misses his family and Brody and Zeke didn’t even think Louis’ birthday is relevant enough for them to stay home and have some cake, simply because he’s more feminine than others and honestly fuck them for that. Fuck everyone who calls him a faggot on a daily in school or bothers Harry because he’s quiet and likes flowers.

He really wants to yell a big fuck you at everyone in this shitty town that has been giving him shit for being himself, but instead he’s sitting in the stables, pathetically crying and cuddling with a horse. It’s probably better if he doesn’t get himself into trouble anyway.

Louis wishes he could have the best of both worlds. Have Harry and his family. Be gay and accepted. But apparently that’s not how his life works, and he’ll cry about it because Daffie doesn’t judge him and will stay cuddled up to Louis’ side until he runs out of carrots to feed him.

“Lou?!”

Louis recognizes Harry’s voice instantly and wipes the tears from his eyes and cheeks, plastering on a smile when Harry appears in front of Daffies stall.

He sees Harry breathe out a sigh of relief before climbing in over the lower part of the door.

“I looked everywhere for you, Lou. I thought you like, ran away or something. Or didn’t want to see me.”

He sits down next to Louis, crossing his legs and petting Daffies side, shooting Louis concerned glances.

“Have you been crying?”

Louis nods and scoots into Harry’s side, putting his head on his shoulder.

“Just a bit homesick today.”

Harry nods and rubs his back, softly kissing Louis’ lips.

“Sorry, Lou.” He frowns and looks down at louis worriedly. “You could’ve texted me. I could’ve distracted you.”

Louis shrugs. “I guess it’s good to let out the tears once in a while, yeah? And you’re here now so, we can go do something.”

Harry nods and grins cheekily at him.

“Y’know whats funny?”

Louis can’t help but grin back and taking Harry’s hand in his.

“No, what?”

“That you were scared of horses.” Harry giggles. “And now you’re here cuddling one and crying tears into his mane.”

Louis rolls his eyes and pinches Harry’s side, making him squeal and Daffie jump up in surprise at the noise.

Harry jumps Louis and tickles his tummy, making him guffaw and tickle Harry back under his armpits.

Harry giggles uncontrollably and tries to get out of Louis’ arms, already out of breath.

“Hey! No fair, Lou! You know I’m ticklish under my arms.”

Louis stops tickling him and shrugs, laying down on top of Harry’s chest in the hay.

“Life isn’t fair, love.”

Harry scoffs. “You sound like my mom.”

“Maybe I am. Undercover. Secretly your mom spying on you.” He grins down at him.

“Gives you kiss my mother with that mouth a whole ‘nother meaning, huh?

Louis lets out a loud laugh and presses a long kiss to Harry’s mouth, making Harry moan filthily beneath him.

Louis gapes at him and lightly whacks his chest.

“I am not sucking you off in here next to Daffie.”

Harry pouts. “Louuu. Please. I’ll be quick.”

Louis presses his hand over Harry’s mouth when he hears the doors to the stable open and someone come in.

“Bro. What the fuck. We fucking planned this like ages ago.”

It’s Brody with one of his friends, and Louis immediately points into the corner where Daffie is standing, motioning to Harry that they should go hide.

Harry nods and they slowly start shuffling through the hay.

“Sorry, man. She’s been like pestering me for ages.”

They walk past Daffie’s stall toward the side entrance, hopefully having done what they needed and leaving through there.

“Just fuck her. Chicks dig that, bro.”

Harry snickers quietly beside him and Louis bites his cheek in order to keep from laughing.

The side door opens and closes, signaling their leave, and Louis and Harry both start to laugh.

“Who the fuck even talks like that?” Louis cackles.

Harry grins. “I don’t know bro, dude, man, pal.”

Louis rolls his eyes and pulls Harry into his lap, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist.

“Kiss me, bro.”

Harry grins and leans down, connecting their lips for a rather filthy kiss, immediately swiping his tongue over Louis’ lips. They stay like that for a while, until Daffie gets too close and they remember where they are.

Harry leans down for a small peck and then gets off of him. “That was a great kiss. But no homo, bro.”

“You’re the worst,” Louis groans, getting up as well.

***

They decide on riding out to the clearing again, taking spare horse blankets and some water to be able to stay there for the night.

It’s not completely dark yet when they get there, and now that Louis can finally see the large, snow covered meadow in sunlight, he thinks he loves the spot even more.

They lay the blankets out and switch between making out and talking about nonsense until they fall asleep, cuddled up in a thick bundle of blankets and each other.

  
***

When Louis wakes up the next morning, Harry is perched on his chest and grinning down at him.

He pecks Harry’s lips as a ‘good morning’ and then gives him an inquiring look.

“What’s up, babe?”

“I want to introduce you to my parents. As my boyfriend. If that’s okay with you.”

Louis grins widely and presses another soft kiss to his lips, taking Harry’s hand and rolling them over, snuggling into Harry’s broad chest.

“I’d love nothing more than that.”

***

As soon as Louis gets back to the house it’s a flurry of unwrapping presents from distant relatives for Brody and Hayden while Louis busies himself with setting up Hayden’s new playmobil set. He used to live and breathe playmobil, he’s basically a pro.

His mom had sent him a picture of all of his wrapped presents under the tree a few hours ago when his family had gotten up in England, so he doesn’t feel bad about having nothing to unwrap. And besides, he’s way too nervous about meeting Harry’s family to really care about presents.

Louis ordered a bouquet with all of Harry’s favorite flowers a couple of weeks back, and he has an appointment in an hour to pick it up at the same flower shop where he went to last time, so he excuses himself from breakfast to take his new truck for a spin.

It’s a hideous thing, the truck, and Louis loves her as soon as he sees her. He calls her Nessie, and despite her terrible light-blue-chipped-paint and rust exterior, she runs very smoothly.

He gets into town in no time, and when he steps into the shop he immediately gets greeted by the woman. She pulls him into a hug and pats the back of his head before leading him to the counter, presenting him the possibly prettiest bouquet he’s seen in his entire life.

He gapes at the flowers and then at her.

“Harry will absolutely love these.”

She smiles and wraps them up carefully.

“I sure hope so, dear. I’m sure we didn’t spend all these hours a few weeks ago for nothing.” She winks at him and Louis blushes.

He had gone in a few weeks ago to pester her about all of Harry’s favorite flowers, and he probably ended up spending about two to three hours in her shop until he was satisfied with the results. She had cooed at him the entire time, but Louis still feels bad about taking so much of her time.

He pulls out his wallet and smiles thankfully when she hands him the bag.

“How much are they going to be?”

“Oh, don’t be silly dear. Spend your money on a date with Harry, not these dead old flowers.” She pushes him out of the shop, giving him no room for discussion. “See it as a thank you for treating Harry so well. I love seeing him happy.”

Louis nods and gives her a tight hug, kissing both of her cheeks in thanks.

“Thank you so much, really.”

She shrugs and gives him a final push onto the sidewalk. “Clean up nicely when you go to meet his family later. Never hurts to make a good first impression.”

Louis nods and waves at her before getting into his truck, careful not to ruin the flowers in any way.

He’s already driving up the dirt road leading to their houses when he realizes that he never told her that he’d be meeting Harry’s parents today.

***

He’s standing in front of the Styles’ house a few hours later, dressed in a soft grey sweater and his best pair of black skinny jeans. He had toyed with the idea of wearing a button down, but he realized it probably would be too much and focused more on styling his hair into a soft fringe and making sure that he smells good.

He stares at the door for a few moments and takes a last deep breath before knocking on the wood. The door opens immediately, maybe even before his fist actually touches the wood, and Harry is standing there beaming at him.

“I’ve been watching you through the peephole,” he laughs. “You don’t have to be nervous, Lou.”

Louis smiles and leans up to kiss him, leaning his hand on Harry’s waist to keep his balance.

“You creep,” he murmurs into Harry’s lips, grinning.

Someone clears their throat behind them and they immediately separate.

Harry’s mother, Louis guesses, walks toward them, smiling at Louis. He immediately stands up straighter and holds out the hand not holding Harry’s flowers.

“I’m Louis Tomlinson. Nice to meet you Ms. Styles.”

Harry snorts next to him and his mother swats his hand away before hugging Louis tightly.

“No need to be so formal. It’s great to finally meet you.”

Louis smiles and nods and pulls off his shoes, putting them on the shoe rack next to him.

“Oh, and please call me Anne. You’re not one of my students,” she laughs.

She closes the door behind them, and then they walk into the living room where Harry’s dad is perched on the sofa watching a football game.

Anne busies herself with cleaning up a few stray newspapers from the couch table before nudging her husband.

“Honey, Harry’s boyfriend is here.”

He turns around and smiles friendly at Louis, waving his hand in greeting.

“Nice to meet you, son. Harry’s been talking our ears off about you for the past hours.”

Louis raises his eyebrows and nudges Harry’s side. “Is that so?”

Harry blushes and throws his slipper at the couch, missing his father by a long shot.

“Hey, no throwing in the house, Harry,” his mom calls from the kitchen, making both Harry and his dad roll his eyes.

“Yeah, no throwing in the house, Harry,” his dad mocks her, smirking at Harry.

Harry simply rolls his eyes and sticks his tongue out at him before taking Louis’ hand and pulling him toward the stairs.

“We’re going upstairs. Call us for dinner!”

Anne calls out her assent while Harry pushes him to walk up the stairs faster. They get to Harry’s bedroom and lay down on the couch there, Louis remembering the flowers.

He gives them to Harry who pouts at him. “Louu. We said no Christmas presents.”

Louis shrugs. “Those are flowers. Not a Christmas present.”

Harry flicks his side, but smells the flowers all the same, grinning up at him.

“These are so lovely. Thank you, Lou.”

He kisses Louis’ lips and goes to his dresser to put them into one of his empty vases.

“Your family is great, Haz.”

Harry nods and looks over his shoulder at him. “Yeah. I love them very much.”

“What are we having for dinner later, do you know?”

Harry snorts and cuddles up next to Louis again.

“Don’t laugh, Lou. I couldn’t take them out of it.”

Louis cackles. “Oh, this will be good.”

Harry pouts at him. “Promise you won't laugh.”

“Fine. I won’t laugh.”

“When I told them that you’re British they insisted on making something that would make you feel less homesick. So they googled like top ten British foods or something like that and found a recipe for fish and chips.” He sighs when Louis already starts laughing next to him. “So that’s what we’re having.”

Louis coos and snuggles his face into Harry’s neck, petting his curls.

“That’s nice of them. Should I tell them though that Fish and Chips isn’t even a British food?”

Harry laughs and puts his arm around Louis’ waist. “Please don’t. I’m pretty sure they’d start crying.”

Louis grins and kisses up the juncture of Harry’s neck, leaving behind a trail of light pink love bites.

Harry sighs beneath him, rubbing circles into Louis’ waist. “Thanks for coming to meet my family, Lou. It means a lot to me.”

Louis shrugs. “Sure. I’d do anything for you.”

Harry grins and connects their mouth for a kiss, sitting down on Louis’ lap.

Louis wraps his arms around Harry and holds him still when he tries to grind down on Louis.

“Babe, we have no time for any funny business. And your parents are downstairs.”

Harry whines. “Come on, Lou. Just a little bit of funny business. Please.”

Louis groans when Harry grinds down on him again. “Nuh-uh. I swear you’re like the horniest teenager to ever exist.”

Harry grins and shrugs. “Maybe. At least I have you to help me out, yeah?”

“Guess so.” He leans forward to give Harry a kiss, but misses him completely when Harry slips onto the carpet flooring in front of the couch.

“ ‘m gonna suck you off, Lou.”

His disapproval gets stuck in his throat when Harry immediately goes to work and pulls Louis’ jeans and briefs down to get out his dick. He’s just pulled it out when the door swings open and Gemma comes in, gaping at them when she sees Harry sitting on the floor in front of Louis.

Louis screams and covers his dick with one of Harry’s throw pillows.

She raises her eyebrows at them and clears her throat.

“I’ll just pretend I didn’t see that. Dinners about ready. And nana is coming soon.”

She turns back around and exits the room, laughing at them.

“Shit, I’m so sorry, Lou.”

Louis waves him off and starts laughing, tucking himself back in.

“She just saw my dick.”

Harry snorts into his palm.

“That she did.”

“Reckon she’ll be scarred for life?”

Harry shrugs. “Not our problem.”

“True that.” Louis grins at Harry and pats his hair. “Guess we should go downstairs then, huh?”

Harry nods and they make their way downstairs, passing the already set dinner table to get some drinks.

Gemma is sitting at the table watching them with an amused expression, and when she moves her tongue into her cheek, imitating giving a blowjob, Harry flips her off.

The doorbell rings then and Louis volunteers to get it, opening up the door to, surprisingly, see the woman from the flower shop.

He kind of gapes at her, because what is she doing at Harry’s house, when Harry barrels past him and into the woman’s arms. They hug each other tightly, and when they both turn to him Louis feels stupid because the resemblance is strikingly clear.

“Lou, this is my grandma. Grandma, this is my boyfriend Louis Tomlinson. From England.”

She, bless her, pretends to not know him and shakes his hand while an amused smile dances across her face.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Louis Tomlinson from England.”

Louis grins and gives her hand a squeeze before Harry pushes them all into the house, getting his grandma a drink and then helping her sit down at the dinner table. Gemma greets her as well, nursing a glass of wine and waiting for the food to be served.

Louis pinches Harry’s thigh under the table bemusedly when his parents actually come out with fried fish and French fries wrapped in this morning's newspaper. It doesn’t taste too bad, and halfway through dinner Louis decides that Harry’s family is actually a blessing for making him feel welcome and accepted in their home.

He doesn’t even tell them that he's really never liked fish.

***

When he leaves later that night every member of Harry’s’ family gives him a tight hug and their number, telling him to call if he ever needs something. Louis thinks they’re probably the nicest family he’s ever met.

All lights in the house are turned off when he gets in, which is why he almost has a heart attack when he sees Floyd sitting in the kitchen drinking a beer.

“Shit, you scared me,” he says breathlessly when she notices him.

She smiles and gestures for him to come over.

“Where have you been? It’s quite late, huh?”

Louis shrugs. “Yeah. I stay out later than this sometimes though. That’s not a problem, right? You never said anything about a curfew.”

She shakes her head and takes another sip, eyeing Louis.

“You know, you can see the Styles’ front door from this kitchen window.“

Louis’ heartbeat picks up, but he tries to look like he’s unaffected, nodding nonchalantly at her.

“Oh. Okay. Uh. That’s cool.”

She puts down her beer and sighs. “Louis I’m not stupid. I saw you kiss the Styles’ kid, and honestly it isn’t really my place to say anything since I’m not your mom, but you know that liking boys really isn’t okay around here.”

Louis nods and crosses his arms over his stomach defensively.

“I know that,” he snips. “It hasn’t been exactly easy for me here either way. And there certainly isn’t anything wrong with being gay.”

She eyes him again before nodding and getting up.

“I agree with you. Other people around here definitely won’t though. Just make sure that Brody or Zeke don’t get word of it, okay? Because I know that they sure as hell won’t let you stay.”

Louis nods and she gives him a last smile before disappearing around the corner. He knew he liked her for a reason.

***

January 2018

It’s the weekend of the San Francisco trip, and they’re all piled into Zayn's Range Rover again, driving to the coast.

Niall had to do the routine pill check up on his mom again because they’d be gone overnight, which had delayed them a bit, but now it’s 11am and they’re already on the bay bridge just outside of the city.

There’s very heavy traffic, (not that Louis cares, they’re in San Francisco and that’s all that matters) so by the time they reach their hotel they’re all exhausted and Zayn's legs hurt from driving for that long. They decide on going to Lunch in the hotels adjacent restaurant to discuss their day’s activities.

They take a seat at a table on the very busy outside patio and wait for their food while discussing their options. Obviously they’re going to visit the Golden Gate Bridge and the Castro district, because duh. They’re just not sure about the smaller attractions they should visit because they simply don’t have time for all of them.

They’re in the middle of a discussion debating whether they should go see the coit tower or fisherman’s wharf when a girl around their age plops into the chair next to Harry.

“I wouldn’t suggest going to coit tower. It’s crowded and really not worth it.”

Niall doesn’t seem phased by her simply joining their conversation and takes a sip of his cherry coke. “Oh okay. Makes sense. What about Lombard street then? I heard it’s totally shit.”

The girl laughs and nods. “Yep. It’s the worst. There’s more tourists with selfie sticks than fish in the sea.”

Niall nods along while she talks and reads over the list of attractions they made a few weeks ago.

“Huh, what about-“

“Uh, excuse me. But who are you?”, Louis cuts him off, turning to the girl.

“That’s a bit rude, Lou,” Harry says to him, patting his thigh.

Louis simply rolls his eyes and takes Harry’s hand under the table, giving it a squeeze.

“I’m Olivia.” She smiles and stretches out her hand, shaking Louis‘.

“Well now that that’s cleared, what do you think about Pier 39?”

“Shit also,” she shrugs. “I have a proposition for you guys though.”

Zayn gives her a confused look. “And what exactly would that be?”

“You,” she points at Niall. “Are coming as my date to Formal tonight. And I will be your tour guide around San Francisco.”

Zayn looks over at Niall who’s turned a lovely shade of red before looking over at Olivia again. “Does it have to be Niall? He really doesn’t like dances.”

“Yeah it has to be. He’s the reason I came over here in the first place, wanted to ask for his number, but when I overheard your conversation I knew you guys need serious help. Also, the rest of you are way too gay, you’d never pass as my boyfriend.”

“That’s a bit bloody offensive.”

Harry simply pats his thigh again and tells him to calm down, making louis huff and cross his arms over his chest like a petulant child.

“I’ll do it.”

Everyone turns to look at Niall and even Olivia seems surprised.

“Really?!”

He nods. “Yeah. But what should I wear?”

“We’ll have to drop by my house anyway for me to get ready, so I’ll lend you one of my brothers suits.”

Niall shrugs. “Okay. So what’s the plan for the rest of the day then?”

“It’s a surprise! I’ll promise you’ll like what I’ve thought of though.”

Their food arrives then, and Olivia returns to her table to finish her food as well, leaving the boys in pleasant quietness.

“I’m so happy I’m gay,” Louis blurts.

Harry lets out a loud laugh next to him and swats his head.

“Lou! You can’t say stuff like that.”

“Well I just did.” He sticks out his tongue at him. “And I know it’s what y’all were thinking anyway. Admit it.”

Zayn and Liam shrug and Liam slaps Niall on his back. “She’s pretty, yeah? Excited?”

Niall blushes and doesn’t respond, simply stuffing his face full of food. They’ll get it out of him later.

***

“Alcatraz?”

Olivia grins and jumps up and down excitedly. “Yeah! It’s like my favorite spot in San Francisco!”

Harry grips Louis’ hand and walks closer to him while they board the small ship, he’s never been one for scary places or boats.

“I heard it’s like haunted or something,” Zayn says from behind them.

Niall shakes his head. “Nah. It’s all good. It’s so cool. They have like Tour Guides that tell you stories about what happened in the different cells.”

“I know right! The one with the guy who got stabbed in the back with a fork is my favorite.”

Niall cackles and nods at Olivia. “That one was great! And then they had to throw all their forks out. Amazing!”

The other four roll their eyes at them and take a seat on one of the benches on the deck. While it is nice and sunny in the city it’s cold and stormy on sea, making the twenty minute boat ride pretty miserable.

Alcatraz is pretty great though, Louis has to agree. It smells too much like fish and he almost got shat on by seagulls more than once, but the tour is amazing. They get to hear the story about the guy who escaped out of his cell with only a spoon, scraping the wall for ages until he got out. And of course the story about the guy who stabbed a guy with the fork in the prisons cafeteria.

The five of them take loads and loads of pictures together, including Olivia in most of them as well, and immediately post them on Instagram when they’re back in the city.

She takes them to the Seward street slides afterward, which none of them even knew existed, and they spend about half an hour there before she tells them to get back into the car and to drive to the next spot.

They go to a swing that’s right at the edge of the city on a hill, and takes some more instagram pictures there, Harry and Louis taking turns in trying to shoot the most aesthetic ones they can muster.

Afterward they drive up to the Golden Gate Bridge which Louis has been wanting to see for years, so they spend some more time up there than usual and let Louis takes pictures to his heart's content. It’s massive, and since it’s already getting dark outside the pictures of the illuminated bridge turn out beautiful on his iPhone.

Louis practically begs Zayn to take a picture of him and Harry kissing in front of the bridge, and their small make out session immediately turns into some kind of photoshoot, Zayn trying to find the best angle and lighting while telling them to stand a certain way that’ll make them look hotter.

In the end Louis has three perfect pictures of them, immediately putting the one as his lock screen and sending it to Harry.

Zayn drives them to Olivia’s house next, helping both her and Niall get dressed for formal. Her brother is there as well, who lends Niall a nice black tuxedo and hair products while Olivia gets her make up on.

“You look good mate,” Liam says when Niall is finishing his quiff.

Niall shrugs. “Yeah?”

“Dashing.” Louis grins.

Niall hits his shoulder before walking out of the room to where Harry and Zayn are curling Olivia’s chestnut hair.

“You look good, love.”

Liam snorts when Harry looks up instead of Olivia.

“I meant Olivia, babe. But you look fantastic too.”

Harry pouts and Louis gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before they all get up and Olivia instructs them to take some pictures of Niall and her. Apparently it’s super important, so her brother gets his fancy camera out and starts snipping away, taking cheesy pictures which’s only purpose is to make others jealous on social media if we’re being honest.

They all squeeze back into the car, trying to not let Olivia’s little black dress rip or wrinkle Niall’s tuxedo too much.

They drop them off at the local high school, and all of them give Niall a clap on the back before they drive back to the hotel, wishing him luck at the dance. Niall seems unusually calm and collected when he takes Olivia’s hand outside of the car though, so they suppose it’ll go alright. How much damage can one cause at a school dance?

*** NIALLS POV ***

  
The gym is hot and humid, sweaty bodies pushing them around while Olivia leads him to her friends.

“So remember. We met at a restaurant, just like today. Five weeks ago, yeah? They’re gonna be nosy so just stick with the story,” she shouts into his ear as they walk.

He nods, trying not to trip over other people’s feet, and before he knows it they’re standing in front of five girls and their dates in a darker corner of the gym.

The girls cheer and Niall can already tell that they’re pretty wasted. “Liv! You made it!”

One of them rushes to them and embraces Olivia in a long hug, kissing both of her cheeks. She looks over at Niall then, her eyes widening a bit.

“Who’s this then? Your boyfriend?”

Olivia nods and pulls Niall closer to the group. She pats his chest and looks at him expectantly. He knows what she’s asking for of course, she told him how to act around her friends at least five times on the car ride over, and holds out his hand.

“Hey. ‘M Niall.” He shakes all of their hands and they tell him their names as well, but there’s no way that he can remember all of them so he doesn’t even try.

“Want something to drink? We brought some rum and coke,” one of the blonde girls slurs, already completely gone even though the night just started. She picks up a bottle from behind them and holds it out to them.

Olivia nods and takes a few sips of the liquid in the hydroflask before handing it over to Niall.

“Only a little though, the teachers can't catch us with this.”

Niall nods and drinks a bit, almost retching from the taste, and passes it on. It’s the very first time he’s drinking alcohol, and he doesn’t think he likes it.

Nonetheless, an hour later he’s completely fucked, holding on to Olivia who’s stumbling along next to him and trying to find a way out of the gym without a teacher seeing them.

She apparently finds a way a few minutes later and quickly pulls Niall along through a side door, ending up outside in the fresh air. They walk for a bit, the cold and the wind sobering them up a little.

“Why’d you lie to them about having a boyfriend?”, Niall asks after a while.

Olivia is walking close enough that their shoulders brush with every step, her high heels making her almost as tall as Niall.

“I had one. The first time I told them about him. But then after only two weeks of dating he decided I was too boring and not adventurous enough, so he broke up with me.” She shrugs. “I was too embarrassed to tell my friends so I lied.”

Niall nods. “Makes sense, I guess.”

They stop at the street and Niall grabs her hand. “You aren’t boring at all. Just so you know. You’re really fun, you shouldn’t bring yourself down like that.”

She doesn’t say anything, just holds his hand looking at him, and there’s a few seconds of silence in which they just stand there, and maybe it’s the alcohol still running through his veins or simply the fact that Olivia is everything Niall would want in a girlfriend but he kisses her and she kisses him back.

The kiss escalates into them getting a taxi back to Niall’s hotel where they avoid the others and sneak around until they’re at his room, falling into bed with a drunken haze and too much lust.

Her and the borrowed tuxedo are gone when Niall wakes up, only a small piece of paper with her number proof that yesterday really happened.

  
***

They stop at Castro district before heading back home, all of them deciding to look around the streets and shops for a bit. Niall doesn’t talk about Olivia, so they they don't ask him. He’s been texting with someone all morning though, so Louis just assumes it’s her and that the night ended up fine for him.

There’s gay couples holding hands and rainbows everywhere in Castro, and Louis is in literal heaven. After months of being locked away in Oroville this is a really nice change, reminding him that being gay in fact isn’t even unusual or weird.

He doesn’t hear the word faggot or disgusting muttered or yelled at them even once while he’s walking around with Harry hand in hand, and Louis can’t help but feel all warm in the chest when he sees how carefree and happy Harry finally is. Not having to worry about people seeing them touching or kissing is relieving.

He smiles up at Harry when they stop at a traffic light and stands up on his toes to kiss him, in the middle of the street, and he’s happy to say that that is probably one of the highlights of his life. Having people, strangers, actually coo at him and his boyfriend is simply an amazing feeling.

“I love you, Haz,” he whispers into Harry’s lips later when they’re standing in line at Starbucks.

Harry grins and pecks him once more before pulling back and putting a hand around his waist.

“I love you more, Lou.”

***

Two weeks later they find themselves at a bull riding competition, screaming Liam’s name loudly in the crowded stands. The competition is California wide, which means that all seats are sold out and the atmosphere around them is tense. Harry and Louis don’t even dare cuddle up where they’re sitting, surrounded by middle aged and semi drunk men.

There’s over one hundred competitors, and every time a new rider gets injured by falling off or getting trampled on by the bull, Zayn gets more and more worried and quieter.

Louis pats his back and sends him a reassuring smile. “He’ll be fine, Zee. Don’t worry.”

Zayn nods, but he’s still biting his fingernails with vigor out of worry.

“His parents forced him to come here. He’s so scared, Lou. He doesn’t want to do it either.”

Louis gives him a short side hug and hands him a coke that he got at the vending machines downstairs earlier.

“Drink some, you’ll probably feel better. And your fingernails will thank you.”

There’s three more riders before Liam, and they all manage to stay up on the bull for eight seconds, making it the longest streak in the competition so far. The last rider is still standing in the dirt, raising his hands in victory, and there’s no doubt that he will definitely be under the top 10.

A few minutes later they announce Liam’s name on the big screens, and zoom in to show how he’s getting into one of the boxes containing a bull on the sidelines. Zayn is shaking next to him and the other boys can't help but send him worried glances as well.

“Zayn he’ll be fine. Look, he’s looking good down there. Look at his muscles.”

Liam’s still perched on the side of the box while the people around him try to get the bull to stand a bit more still in order for Liam to be able to get on. Liam had told them once that waiting around like this only makes a bull more aggravated, and he feels terrible for Liam because the bull only seems to get madder and madder every passing second.

The guys end up telling Liam to just get on because there’s no point in waiting, and Liam complies, hopping down the fence onto the bucking bull, holding on tight.

The timer starts and the gate flies open, and Louis can’t even shout Liam’s name before he goes flying through the air and into the dirt. Zayn jumps up next to him, making the coke he had on his lap spill everywhere and the people sitting behind him cuss him out for blocking their view.

He starts squeezing past the people sitting in their row, and runs down the stairs to where a steel fence separates him from two horsemen trying to catch the bull before he can do even more damage.

The three other boys scramble and quickly get up and follow Zayn, looking up at the big screens to see Liam up on his feet but in lot of pain by the looks of it. He’s still dodging the bull whenever he comes too close, but thankfully the men get the bull out quickly and a small team of paramedics run onto the dirt toward Liam.

They catch up to Zayn and then all head to the part of the gate where they’re letting Liam out, Zayn sending the men that practically pushed liam onto the bull withering glares.

Liam is standing in the sidelines now, getting fussed over by a woman who belongs to the paramedic, and Zayn doesn’t even hesitate or think about the consequences when he runs toward Liam and kisses him. Right there, on the big screens. For the entire audience to see, including Liam’s parents.

Liam’s arm is hanging at an odd angle though, so the paramedics quickly swoop him up and take him to an ambulance waiting outside in order to give him a ride to the closest hospital, leaving the boy’s standing there.

Most people in the audience are still enraged about the kiss and shouting nasty things at Zayn, so Harry decides that they need to get out of there as quickly as possible and follow Liam to the hospital in Zayns Range Rover.

They don’t let Zayn drive of course, so Niall takes over the driving while Harry sits next to him and reads out the directions from google maps.

Zayn starts stammering out of nowhere, getting angrier and angrier with every sentence. “I shouldn’t have let him go. He should’ve said no to his parents. Now his arm is broken and he’s hurt and in pain and it’s all his fucking parents fault. Stupid fucking bull. Fuck american culture.”

Louis lays a hand on Zayns knee and gives him a tight hug.

“He’s fine, Zee. Like you said. Just a broken bone probably. He’ll be fine in no time.”

“Yeah,” Harry says from the front seat. “And maybe his parents will finally realize that Liam shouldn’t be doing bull riding.”

Zayn nods and quickly starts tearing up, hiding his face in Louis’ shoulder.

“I was just so scared,” he sobs into Louis’ sweater. “I thought something t-terrible happened. He flew at least ten feet. W-what if he were dead, Lou?”

Louis shushes him and gently nudges him out of the car when they get to the hospital.

“He’s fine, Z. He’s not dead, he’s probably already waiting for you in a hospital room all patched up right now.”

Zayn nods and Louis keeps an arm around his waist until they reach the front desk of the emergency section of the hospital, where they give the nurse Liam’s name and she points them in the right direction.

They get to Liam’s room and open the door fifteen minutes later, finding Liam sitting on a chair with a white cast on his arm. At the sight of them he grins and lifts both of his arms to make room for Zayn on his lap.

Harry rushes over to him as well and gives him a kiss on his cheek. “We’re so happy you’re fine, Li.”

Niall and Louis nod and from where they’re standing and Liam gives them all appreciative smiles.

“Thanks so much for coming over immediately, guys. I’m all good, though. Just a broken bone. They said I’ll be good in about six weeks.”

Louis scoffs. “Of course we did, you knob. We were all scared as shit. You literally flew through the air.”

Liam shrugs. “Didn’t even feel the fall to be honest, just felt my arm give out when I tried to catch myself with it. The pain only started a few seconds after I realized what just happened.”

Zayn gives Liam a sad look and nuzzles his face into Liam’s chest.

“I’ll never allow you to do something like that again, Li,” he mumbles.

The doctor comes in then, followed by Liam’s parents.

“What the hell was that, Liam?!”, his dad immediately yells.

Liam gently pushes Zayn out of his lap and gets up, the doctor immediately rushing to steady him when he wobbles on his legs. He stalks over to his parents and glares at his dad.

“It’s not my fault, dad! You saw them! They pushed me onto the bull even though they knew he wasn’t ready.”

“That’s not what I meant, dumbass,” Liam’s dad hisses. “I meant the fucking kiss you shared with a boy, in front of hundreds of my buyers and colleges, idiot. I should’ve known you are a fucking faggot, Liam.”

Louis rushes to defend him, but Harry holds him back, telling him that it’s not their place.

Liam doesn’t respond and his dad gives him a disgusted look. “Don’t ever think of stepping back into my house.” He turns to Zayn who looks terrified. “And you little-“

Liam’s mom shushes him loudly by telling him to shut up, and walks over to Liam to give him a hug.

“I’m just so happy you’re okay, baby.” She grips the back of Liam’s shirt tightly while she’s held against his chest. “And it’s okay if you’re gay. We’ll figure it out, okay?”

She pulls away and Liam’s dad is looking at her furiously.

“He is not coming back into our home.”

She glares at him and grips Liam’s good hand. “He’s our son. And it’s his home too. He’s coming.”

Liam’s dad steps forward and slaps her, right across the cheek, making a loud slapping noise echo around the room.

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

She gapes at him and he simply steps back, putting his Stetson back on his head from when he had taken it off when he first came in, sending them all glares.

He sneers at Zayn and Liam a last time before storming out of the room, slamming the door after him.

“Ma’am,” the doctor says behind them quietly. “We can press charges for that if you’d want to. There’s security cameras installed in every room.”

Liam’s mom shakes her head and grabs Liam’s hand again. “No, we’ll just go home. He’s just a bit mad right now. He’ll calm down.”

Liam still isn’t saying anything and all of the boys are staring in shock at the door where his dad just disappeared. Who the hell does he think he is?

His mom is pulling him towards the door, and he waves at them and gives Zayn a quick hug, making his face fall because Liam always kisses him when he leaves.

They all mutter quiet goodbyes and send Liam small smiles before he disappears behind the door with his mother.

Niall falls onto the bed, stretching his arms into the air. “Well, fuck.”

Well fuck indeed.

***

“You smell like shit, Liam.” Louis wrinkles his nose and steps back a bit, trying to get the rank small of cow dung out of his nose.

Liam shrugs. “I just spent four hours with the calves. Now that I can’t do the rounding up anymore it’s my job to feed them and clean their cages.”

Zayn stares at him disapprovingly. “You’re not supposed to do anything, Liam. You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I’m fine, Babe.” He pulls Zayn into his chest and kisses his forehead. “Don’t worry, okay?“

Zayn nods and gives Liam’s dirty bicep a kiss.

“Is your father any better, now?”, Harry asks. “When I saw your sister at the store yesterday she said he’s still mad but getting better.”

Liam sighs and shrugs, letting go of Zayn to pick up a sack of food for the calves.

“I don’t know. He hasn’t been talking to me, so. I guess that’s good. If he doesn’t talk he can’t yell.”

Harry nods. “I guess.”

“He’s always been mean to you, Li. Don’t think I forgot about the time he yelled at you when you accidentally let a bull escape from the ranch. It’s not like it was your fault.”

Liam shrugs again, pouring the food into a bucket. “It was a steer, so it was a bit of a big deal because he gets good money for them, so.”

He turns around to set down the sack of food where it belongs when he freezes up. He turns back to Zayn and looks at him confusedly.

“Wait. You didn’t know me back then. That was before the rodeo. How do you know about that?”

Zayn blushes and scratches at the back of his scalp. Louis and Harry giggling behind him.

“Uh, I kind of, like, knew you before you knew me?”

“What Zayn means,” Louis laughs. “Is that he stalked you. Right up on that hill by your steers. Always watching you getting all sweaty and hot while riding around with-“

Zayn makes a squeaking noise and hits his chest. “Be quiet! I wasn’t that bad!”

Harry laughs delightedly and ignores Liam’s confused “What?!”. “Oh, yes. You were that bad. We saw you there every day.”

Liam gapes at them and pouts. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Thought he’d already told you, mate. He has been a complete fool for you since the beginning.”

Liam coos and gives Zayn a chaste kiss. “My fool.”

***

It’s finals week for the first semester, and there probably isn’t a student at their high school that isn’t stressed about the upcoming tests. Louis has been spending most of his time in Harry’s room, studying and quizzing each other. He feels like his brain will explode from all the notes he’s been reading over and over again.

It’s Saturday night now, and they’re both done for the day, laying in his bed lazily making out and not thinking about anything school related. Harry’s family is in Fresno for the weekend because they have some markets they have to attend down there, so they don’t care about their noise level, rutting against each other and moaning into each other’s mouths shamelessly.

Louis’ on top of Harry, his left hand in Harry’s hair, his right on Harry’s waist. Harry is bucking his hips into Louis’ groin area and Louis lets his right hand wander down Harry’s body, slipping into the back of Harry’s sweats. He cups Harry's ass cheek and Harry freezes up beneath him, making Louis disconnect their mouths and roll off of him.

“Sorry, Haz,” Louis mumbles, laying his head on Harry’s chest. “I know you’re not ready.”

Harry sighs and presses a kiss to Louis’ forehead. “Not your fault, Lou.”

Louis shakes his head. “No, babe. It is. I shouldn’t pressure you like that. We’ve talked about this.”

“I want to do things though, Lou.” Harry pouts.”I’m sorry for not sleeping with you. I promise I will, soon. But we can do other things in the meantime.”

“Are you sure? We don’t have to, babe. I’m fine with with just stopping at blowjobs.”

Harry rolls his eyes, starting to kiss up Louis’ neck again. “Stop worrying, Lou. I’m fine. I just don’t want your dick in my ass yet that’s all.”

Louis chokes. “Way too be crude, haz.”

“Well it’s the truth. Now c’mon. I'm still hard and I wanna try something new.”

Louis laughs and swats Harry’s chest. “Fine, bossy. What do you want to do?”

Harry shrugs, starting to tug off Louis’ shirt. “Whatever you want. My parents are gone, we have to take advantage of that.”

He kisses up Louis chest, rubbing his thumbs into Louis’ hips. Louis moans and turns toward Harry starting to pull off his shirt as well. He connects their lips when it’s laying on the bed next to them, stroking his tongue into Harry’s mouth.

“Fuck, babe, let me eat you out,” he mumbles against Harry’s lips.

Harry pulls back and looks at him confusedly. “Eat out?”

Louis smiles at him, patting his chest. “You know. A rimjob? Please?”

Harry still looks confused, and Louis just kind of gapes at him.

“You’ve never heard of a rimjob or, like, watched porn with rimjobs?”

Harry blushes and shakes his head. “I’ve never watched porn, Lou. Of course I haven’t seen it.”

Louis lets out a breathless laugh and kisses Harry’s exposed collar bone.

“Do you trust me?”

Harry’s sits up and frowns at him. “Of course I do, what kind of question is that?”

“Okay then, turn around onto your stomach.”

“What?”

“Just turn around if you trust me, babe. I’ll eat you out.”

Harry nods and turns over, laying his head on his arms.

“What do I do?”

Louis chuckles and presses Harry’s back into the mattress. “Relax, babe. Just do nothing. Lay here.”

Harry nods and grabs a pillow to put his head on while Louis pulls down Harry’s sweats and briefs, making Harry shudder from the cold air around them.

Louis makes sure that he’s fine one last time before wiggling down on the bed and laying down between Harry’s legs, spreading Harry’s cheeks. Harry lets out a gutteral moan when Louis licks the first stripe across his hole.

“What the hell, Lou,” he gets out, breathless.

Louis doesn’t respond and simply dives deeper, pointing his tongue and licking into Harry’s velvety heat. Harry goes completely pliant and not even five minutes later he’s cumming onto the bed sheets, groaning loudly into the pillow.

When he’s come down from his high Harry tells him that it will definitely not be the last time they’ll be doing that, Louis laughs and promises to rim him whenever and wherever he asks for it.

They make plans with Liam for the next day and decide on meeting up to drive to the city center together. Harry kisses him extra hard when he leaves that night, squeezing his waist and whispering over and over that he loves him.

***

February 2018

Harry and Louis are in the kitchen getting new drinks from the fridge when they have their first real fight.

It’s the super bowl weekend, and they’re all at Zayn's house, watching the game and eating ordered pizza and chicken wings from dominos.

It’s almost halftime, and they had just excused themselves from the living room to fill up their cups when Harry corners him against the counter and kisses up his neck.

“Lou, I really want to meet your parents. Please.”

When Louis doesn’t respond, he looks down at him pleadingly and pouts.

“Please, Lou. You talk so much about them. I really want to know them. Even if it’s only over FaceTime.”

Louis shakes his head and pushes away from the counter, all of his fears back from Christmas Eve returning.

“No, haz.”

Harry looks over at him incredulously, unhappy expression on his face. “What? You can’t just say no Louis. You met my parents, why can’t I meet yours?”

“Just no, haz. I’m saying no.”

Harry holds his sleeve when he tries to walk out of the kitchen and Louis turns around angrily.

“What?”, he hisses.

“Lou. Talk to me. I wanna know what’s going on. I thought you were out to them?”

Louis yanks his hand back and turns to leave again.

“Of course I’m fucking out to them! I said no, Harry! Just fucking accept that.”

Harry looks crestfallen at Louis’ dismissal, and steps into Louis way a last time.

“But why?”, he says in a small voice. “Lou. Did I do something wrong?”

“Because we're not even fucking permanent, Harry! I’m leaving soon and how the hell are we supposed to be in a relationship when I’m in England. I don’t want to introduce you to my parents because it isn’t even worth it.”

Tears fill Harry’s eyes and he steps back against the counter, shrinking in on himself.

“What? You’re telling me our relationship isn’t real? That I’m just some fling for now until you go back to England to find someone better?” He sobs into his shirt and pushes himself away from the counter. “Fuck you Louis!”

He walks out of the kitchen looking absolutely heartbroken and Louis follows him into the living room where he’s asking Zayn for a ride home.

The boys shoot them worried glances and Zayn immediately complies, getting up to get the keys and his shoes.

“Harry.”

Harry ignores him and simply walks past him, bumping his shoulder on the way to the entry hall.

“Harry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Harry doesn’t respond until he’s got one shoe on and his coat draped over his arm.

“Then what the fuck did you mean Louis?” He pulls on his other shoe and pushes Zayn out of the door, giving Louis a dejected look. “Actually. Just. Fucking don’t talk to me. Stay away from me.”

He walks out and slams the door in Louis’ face, still crying, and it doesn’t take Louis more than a minute to realize that he totally deserved all of that.

***

Harry doesn’t show up for the classes he has with Louis next morning, so Louis is surprised when he finds him in the hallway just shortly before lunch. He figures it’s his one chance at fixing this, so Louis catches up with him and pulls him along the hallways until they reach their bench outside.

He pushes the small layer of snow away and takes off his coat, motioning for Harry to sit down.

Harry glares at him and sits down reluctantly, making room for Louis as well.

“I’m sorry.”

Harry scoffs and makes a small smile of snow on the floor next to his feet.

“Sorry doesn’t fix what you said, Louis. You hurt me.”

“Harry, babe. I really am sorry. I didn’t mean what I said yesterday, really. I’m just overwhelmed with everything. I don’t want to lose you, really I don’t.”

Harry turns away from him and wipes furiously at his eyes.

“I thought we were forever, Lou. At least that’s what it felt like.”

Louis takes his hand and squeezes, scooting closer to Harry on the bench.

“I don’t want to move away Harry, trust me.”

Harry looks at him with red rimmed eyes and frowns. “Then don’t.”

“Harry, I can’t just-“

“Go to college here. Find a job. Live with me in our house. It doesn’t really matter, just stay,” Harry pleads.

“Harry. I don’t know,-“

“Please. Just think about it. Because if you’re not willing to try and stay with me I honestly see no point in continuing this.”

He goes to get up and go into the school building, but Louis pulls him back down onto the bench.

“Okay. I’ll think about it. And I can ask my teacher if she can help me apply for SFSU. I’ll try, Haz. Really. I don’t want to move away from you. I love you.”

Harry’s face morphs into a smile and he hugs Louis tightly.

“Thank you so much, Lou.”

Louis nods and presses a kiss to Harry’s cheek, wiping the rest of his tears away.

“Of course. I’d reckon I couldn’t live without you in England anyway.”

Harry giggles and presses his face into Louis’ neck.

“I love you.”

Louis grins into Harry’s hair. “Love you too, babe.”

***

March 2018

“Guys. Uh, I have some pretty big news.”

Everyone turns from where they’re sitting on Zayn's couch to Niall.

Louis nods and grins at him. “Yeah, whatsup? You and Olivia finally made it official?”

Niall and Olivia have been texting ever since their trip to San Francisco, and she’d even visited Niall a few weeks ago. He still hasn’t told them about what happened at formal that night or after, but they all know that Niall is head over heels for her so they don’t push him.

“Uh, yeah. But that’s not it.”

Zayn motions for him to go on. “Well then, what is it?”

“I’m not going to college, and before you say anything, it isn’t because of my mom or because I’m scared, but because Olivia is pregnant.”

They all gape at him. “Come again?”

Niall shuffles on his feet. “Uh, Olivia is pregnant. And the kids mine.”

Zayns eyebrows raise comically and Liam just lets out a startled laugh. Bless Harry though, because he jumps up and gives Niall a bone crushing hug.

“You’re going to be a daddy! Congrats!”

Niall laughs into his shoulder and cries some happy tears into his shirt.

“Thanks bro. Means a lot to me.“

The other boys hug him as well then, congratulating him.

Louis grins at him and claps him on the back. “So, you ready then? Happy?”

Niall smiles and nods enthusiastically.

“Yeah. I was scared when she first called to tell me. But well, now I’m just excited, y’know.”

He shrugs and Harry practically jumps up and down in excitement.

“How far along is she? Do you know the gender yet?”

“Uh, actually. It’s gonna be twins. We know that. And she’s eight weeks along, so. We don’t know the genders yet.”

“Damn,” Louis laughs.

“Yeah. We’re going to move in together after we graduate and I already have a job down in Santa Cruz as a receptionist for a law firm.”

Zayn has tears in his eyes when he hugs Niall again, telling him how proud he is, how proud they all are, incredibly proud. And now Louis has another reason to stick around with them. He wouldn’t possibly want to miss seeing Niall’s tiny babies in seven months.

***

“I’m ready, Lou.”

“What?” Louis looks up from his history book.

“I want to have sex.”

“What? Now?”

Harry nods and lays down next to him on the bed.

“I’m ready. Please.”

Louis puts the book on the floor and sits down on Harry’s thighs, petting his stomach.

“Okay, sure. Whatever you want, babe.” He smiles down at him. “Do you have stuff here then?”

Harry points to his desk. “Yep. Bought some condoms and lube when I was at CVS last week.”

“I’m going to top right? Just so we’re on the same page.”

Harry nods and pushes him off, walking to his desk and bringing the lube and condoms over to the bed.

“Yeah. I trust you not to hurt me.”

Louis gives him a kiss and starts undressing him, unbuttoning his jeans and pushing up his shirt.

“Thanks babe. Now get naked.”

Harry giggles and lifts his bum to help Louis get his jeans and briefs off, moaning when Louis gives his length a teasing stroke.

“Louu, don’t tease me,” he whines.

“Yeah, yeah, babe. Take off your shirt.”

Louis gets off the bed and shucks off his clothes, watching Harry take off his clothes on the bed and stroke himself lazily.

“Fuck. You look so good, baby.”

Harry whines and tells him to hurry up, so Louis quickly climbs on top of him and connects their mouths, letting his hands stroke up and down Harry’s body with gentle touches.

They are kissing breathlessly and their lips are sliding wetly against each other, only interrupted by occasional grunts and moans.

Louis pulls back for a moment. “I’m going to start prepping you now, okay?”

Harry nods and practically whimpers when Louis starts sliding down his body, grabbing the lube that’s laying next to Harry’s head.

“I’m gonna eat you out, okay, babe? Then I’ll start loosening you up for me. That sound good?”

Harry nods and pushes Louis’ head down, making Louis laugh and comply.

He licks Harry out with vigor, only stopping when Harry’s completely pliant beneath him and his thighs are shaking where they’re pressed around Louis’ head.

He gives Harry’s fluttering hole a last kiss before grabbing the lube and slicking up his fingers.

“You ready?”

All he gets in response is a moan and Harry’s hand gripping Louis’ wrist, pushing his hand down toward his hole.

“Please, Lou.”

Louis wastes no time and pushes his first finger in, meeting almost no resistance. He pumps it in and out a few times until he feels like he can add a second one.

Harry’s length is still hard and leaking on his stomach, so Louis adds a third one after a few minutes, pumping all of them in and out before crooking his fingers to find Harry’s prostate.

He finds the nub and immediately presses down on it, rubbing circles and listening to Harry’s loud whines and groans until Harry pushes him away from overstimulation.

“Louis, just fuck me already,” he moans.

Louis nods and leans down to kiss him, tweaking Harry’s nipples while he lines himself up with Harry’s hole.

He pushes in slowly, not able to hold back the loud groan when he feels Harry’s velvety head around him.

“Fuck, baby, you feel so good.”

Harry throws his head back when Louis bottoms out, whimpering and gripping the hair at the back of Louis’ neck tightly.

“Lou, move, please.”

Louis nods and starts thrusting shallowly, groaning every time he pumps his length back into Harry.

Harry grinds his hip back on Louis’ dick and moans into Louis’ mouth.

“Lou, harder. I can take it. Come on!”

Louis does so, going faster and faster while making sure to hit Harry’s prostate every time.

Harry cries out when Louis hits his prostate on an especially hard thrust, leaning up to catch Louis in a filthy kiss.

“Shit! I’m gonna cum, Lou. Please more. Please, please-“

Louis lets his hand reach down and grip Harry’s length, rubbing his thumb over Harry’s bulbous head until Harry shudders underneath him and cums over his hand.

“Fuck Harry, yeah that’s it. I’m so close too, babe.”

Louis thrusts into Harry three, four, more times before he sinks his hands into Harry’s hair and cums into the condom, grunting loudly.

He collapses onto Harry, the cum on Harry’s stomach be damned, and kisses him languidly. Bodies slowly coming down from the heat and arousal, tongues still colliding messily.

They stay quiet for a while after Louis throws out the condom, the only sounds in the room being their breathing from their heaving chests until Harry giggles and rubs his head into Louis’ side.

“Perfect.”

“Fuck, yeah,” Louis breathes out. “So good.”

“Stay over tonight, please? We have school off for a week.”

Louis shakes his head and pecks Harry’s lips before getting up to go take a shower.

“Can’t. I have some online homework to do at home still.”

He grins down at Harry and holds out his hand. “Shower with me though?”

Harry gets up and gives him an Eskimo kiss, grinning cutely at Louis, cum still running down his stomach.

Louis laughs and pats his bum, pushing him toward the door.

“Lets get you cleaned up, messy boy.”

Harry turns around when he reaches the bathroom and embraces Louis in a tight hug, chests sticking together disgustingly.

“I love you, Lou. I really do.”

Louis smiles. “I love you too, babe. Forever, yeah?”

Harry’s wide grin is all the motivation he’ll ever need to move to California permanently.

***

He wakes up to Brody’s empty bed and five messages from Harry on his phone.

Do u wanna leave a bit early

Around 9 or so

Liam will be busy but we can do something together before :)) xx

Text me when you wake up

Ps yesterday was lovely xx

They’re from two hours ago, and when Louis checks the time it’s already 8:30. He types out a quick Yeah for sure. :) See you in a bit xx before jumping out of bed and getting dressed.

He pulls on black skinny jeans and a T-shirt before he styles his hair into a fringe and goes downstairs. Floyd and Zeke are at church since it’s Sunday morning, which is why only Brody and Hayden are sitting at the table eating cereal. Hayden gives him a wide grin while Brody only glares at him, but what else is new?

He grabs a bowl and fills it with Froot Loops before sitting down across from them. Hayden turns to him and gestures at his outfit.

“Where are you going?”

Louis shrugs and smiles at her.

“Just out with some friends.”

Brody scoffs and gets up.

“Faggot,” he hisses when he walks past him.

And that’s about all Louis can take, he’s fed up with Brody calling him that and constantly degrading him.

He jumps up, anger boiling inside of him, and blocks his way into the kitchen.

“Stop fucking calling me that. And stop calling other people that.”

Brody sneers at him and pushes him to the side.

“Just calling you out for what you are, you fucking queer. Don’t think I didn’t see the messages on your phone from the Styles fag this morning.”

“Fuck you.”

Louis clenches his teeth. Who the fuck does he think he is?

Before he can lurch at him and punch him in the throat or do something equally as stupid, a terrified wail comes from beside them and he remembers that Hayden is still at the table.

He steps back but Brody doesn’t seem to care, because he still jumps him and starts punching him right in the face, holding him in a headlock.

Hayden is screaming in front of them, and the clock reads 9:08, meaning he’s late for meeting Harry, but he can’t escape Brody’s grip.

When Louis’ knees buckle and he starts to choke, Brody lets him go and fall to the ground. His nose isn’t broken, but he can feel the warm blood streaming down his face onto his shirt and he knows his eye will be swollen shut tomorrow.

Hayden grabs her brother furiously screaming at him, while Brody looks down at Louis with a smug grin.

“Why did you do that?! Mom will kill you!”

Brody shrugs and kicks Louis’ side.

“Because he’s a fucking fag. Look at him. Fucking useless.”

He grabs Louis’ T-shirt and pulls him up to his feet, spitting him right in the face.

“You better not tell anyone about this. Tell your fag friends, I don’t fucking care. They need to learn to stay away from me anyway. But if this comes out to any grown up I will fucking end you and your fucking boyfriend. Understood?”

Louis nods and rips himself away from him. Hayden is staring at him with disgust now as well, making Louis want to vomit because how can people be so hateful. With a last glare he slams the front door shut behind him and runs to the already running truck standing outside.

He doesn’t cry until he’s sitting in the passenger seat and Harry is staring at him in shock.

***

“Louis. You have to tell me what happened. Please.”

They’re sitting in Harry’s bathroom where Harry is holding toilet paper to Louis’ nose to stop the bleeding. He grabbed an ice pack on the way in, and Louis is holding it to his right eye, tears still running down his face.

Harry is looking at him worriedly and rubbing comforting circles into his back, trying to calm him down.

“Lou. Please.”

Louis shakes his head and lets out a loud sob. “I just want to go home.”

Harry nods and starts packing the first aid kit back under the sink.

“Okay. I’ll bring you over there.”

Louis sniffles and pulls him back up.

“I mean home home.”

Harry stops rubbing his back and stands up.

“What? Lou. You can’t. You can’t leave. Please don’t tell me you’re thinking of leaving.”

Harry has tears in his eyes now too, and he wipes them on his sleeve before hugging Louis into his chest.

“Lou. Please tell me you’re not leaving. We just, yesterday-“

Louis sniffles again and shakes his head.

“I’m not leaving. I just really want my mom right now.”

Harry nods frantically and pulls his phone out of his pocket.

“Here, call her. I don’t care about the cost, yeah? Take your time.”

Louis mumbles a “thanks so much, Haz.”, before dialing her number.

Harry nudges his side gently and points at the door. “Do you want me to go?”

Louis shakes his head and pulls Harry closer against his chest, locking his legs together behind his back. Harry gives him a chaste kiss before his mom picks up.

“Hey Lou! We just sat down for dinner. Can I call you in, say, maybe 15 minutes?”

When Louis doesn’t say anything and she hears his sniffling, Louis hears her excuse herself from the table and go into a quieter room.

“Is everything okay, Lou?”

Louis nods even though she can’t see him.

“Yeah. Just miss you, is all.”

She coos over the line, and Louis can’t help the small chuckle he releases against Harry’s chest.

“We miss you too, baby. I can’t wait to see you soon.”

Harry kisses his forehead and starts disinfecting the small cut he had gotten near his eye. His mom is still prattling on about all the things they’ll do when he’s back, but Louis doesn’t listen. Because he realizes that Harry is Louis’ favorite person and he wants his mom to know that now.

“Mom. Actually. I have news.”

She stops talking and hums.

“Yeah? What is it?”

Louis smiles up at Harry who’s looking down at him inquisitively.

“I met someone. Here. A boy.”

She shrieks and he has to hold his phone away from his ear to not go deaf. Harry is staring at him with awe and surprise and happiness clearly written in his face, and Louis can’t help but press a quick kiss to his lips. His boy really is so beautiful. And so, so wonderful.

“Oh my god! I’m so happy for you, Lou! Tell me about him!”

Harry wipes the tears from Louis’ cheeks and smiles down at him proudly.

“Um. He’s really great, mom. He’s my neighbor. And he goes to my school.”

She coos again and Louis hides his face in Harry’s neck.

“I want to meet him, yeah? Can we FaceTime?”

Louis laughs.

“Not now mom. But I’ll call you in a few days with him, okay?”

Harry nods along and strokes Louis’ back until his mom says goodbye a few minutes later and hangs up.

Louis lets out a sigh of relief and falls into Harry’s chest.

“Do you feel better now, Lou?”

He nods and kisses Harry’s cheek softly, taking his hand in his.

“Yeah. I feel better.”

Harry nods and kisses their joined hands.

“Wanna tell me what happened?”

Louis shrugs. “It was just Brody being an asshole. You know him.”

Harry stares at him with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows. “Brody did this?”

“Yeah. Because I called him out for his bullshit. I’m done with him calling me degrading names.”

Harry smiles at him and gives him a hug, rubbing Louis’ back.

“You’re too loud and forward for your own good sometimes.”

Louis laughs and tweaks Harry’s nipple through his shirt.

“Hey! I’m a good kind of loud and forward.”

Harry grins and gives him a kiss before pulling him off of the counter.

“Whatever you say, Lou.”

He ignores Louis’ indignant scoff and rubs his palm over Louis‘ bruised cheek.

“Stay in with me today, please? Well cancel our plans with Liam and cuddle, okay? You’re not going back to the Wilsons.”

“But Haz-“

“Uh-Uh. You’re staying here. And you’re going to tell your parents about what happened sooner or later.”

Louis whines and crosses his arms across his chest like a child. “Do I have to?”

Harry nods and pulls him the rest of the way into his bedroom, pushing him down onto the bed when they get there.

“Yes, you do. He hit you Louis, and I don’t know much about exchange programs but I know that host brothers are most certainly not allowed to do that.”

Louis sighs and spreads himself on the bed like a starfish. “Okay fine. I’ll stay here, promise.”

“And you’ll tell your parents.”

Louis shrugs. “Maybe.”

“No. You will, Lou. By next week at the latest. Promise?”

“Okay, if I must,” he groans.

Harry sticks his tongue out at him and cuddles into his side, carefully spreading some ointment onto Louis’ face.

He swears he hears Harry mutter “I’ll kill him” under his breath before he dozes off, but he can’t really be sure about that.

***

They have six more days of vacation, which is why Louis is pissed when someone loudly knocks on Harry’s door the next morning.

Harry’s family is due at home soon, but they all have keys, so Louis guesses it must a mailman asking for a signature or maybe one of their friends.

He slips into Harry’s nirvana T-shirt that almost covers his briefs completely, before sleepily traipsing down the stairs and to the door. He slips on Gemma’s comfortable pink plush slippers on the way, and opens the door to Zeke with a stormy expression on his face.

“We need to talk.”

Louis nods and without asking Zeke comes into the house, walking through and sitting down on the living room sofa.

“Brody got you good, huh,” he smirks.

Louis sends him a glare, standing across the room.

“Now, you obviously can’t live with us any longer. So I want you to pack your stuff today and be gone from here by night.”

Louis gapes at him. “You can’t do that. You’re my host family.”

“That’s why we're having you call them and tell them that it’s just not working out anymore. That our different lifestyles are not compatible.”

“Fuck you. Why the hell would I do that?”

Zeke pulls out his wallet and hands him $200, looking at him sternly.

“Keep quiet about what happened with Brody and you’ll get to keep those dollars.”

Louis scoffs and throws the money back at him. “I don’t want your stupid money. If you kick me out that means I have to leave Oroville. And I’m not going to.”

“Why? Because of your fucking precious boyfriend? Can’t go a week without getting it up the ass or what, faggot?”

He gets up and corners louis in the right side of the room, where he grabs Louis’ chin roughly and spits on his face.

“You fucking fag will do whatever I say. And I say you’re going to talk to the agency and leave my house. Today.”

“I think the fuck not,” says a voice behind them, and Louis immediately recognizes it as Gemma’s. “Get out.”

Zeke lets go of him and turns around, scoffing when he sees Gemma and Harry’s parents in the entrance to the living room. He raises his hands defenseovly and squeezes past them back to the door, glaring at Harry when he comes down the stairs.

“I don’t want him in my house anymore. We do not live with fags. If his stuff isn’t picked up by tonight I’m throwing it out,” he hisses. And with that he leaves, slamming the door shut.

Harry’s parents are stunned, looking at him and Harry with raised eyebrows. Harry’s mom immediately fussing with Louis’ face.

“What happened, dear?”

Harry nudges her away from Louis and pulls him into his chest.

“Brody happened,” he says glumly. “But I took care of the wounds so Louis’ fine, don’t fuss over him.”

Louis laughs. “Harry fusses over me enough already for four people, so.”

Harry scoffs and turns back to his parents who are still staring at them.

“Well,” his dad starts. “Louis obviously can’t go back there. So, what do you say he stays with us, hm? We can call the agency you went through, and your parents of course, and switch your residency.”

“You would do that for me? Really?”, Louis asks in awe.

Harry’s mom nods and smiles down at him. “Louis. You’re dating Harry. You’re kind of part of the family now anyway.”

He grins up at her. “Thank you so much. You don’t understand how much I appreciate it.”

“No problem, dear.” She gives Louis a short hug before she walks toward the kitchen.

“Now we’ll make some breakfast and then afterwards you three,” she points at Harry, Gemma and Louis, ”will go over to the Wilsons and grab all his stuff, okay?”

They all nod and walk into the living room to set the table, Harry still with his arm around Louis’ waist.

“Hey! Are those my slippers?”

One thing is sure, he doesn’t deserve the Styles family at all.

***

They get Louis’ stuff from his room, ignoring Brody and Zeke that watch them with a careful eye, and take everything over into Harry’s bedroom. It’s not that much to begin with, and everything fits into the suitcases that Louis brought over from England, so they’re done with the task quickly.

Harry’s parents had taken over the task of calling the agency and the high school, telling them about what happened and begging them to allow Louis to stay with them. The agency is surprisingly easy to convince, even thanking Harry’s parents for their readiness of taking over. They also promise to have a talk with the Wilsons about their unacceptable behavior.

The high school doesn’t really care, but that was to be expected. They just need Louis’ new address and Harry’s parents info, leaving the only thing left to do calling Louis’ parents.

Anne says she wants to talk to Jay first, so Louis gives her his mother’s phone number and leaves her to it, cuddling up with Harry on the living room couch.

They talk for ages.

Half an hour passes, and they’re still talking in the kitchen. Harry and Louis decide to pop The Lion King into the DVD player, and only ten minutes before the movie is over, his mom reappears.

Harry frowns at her when she doesn’t say anything and simply starts cleaning off the mantle.”

“What’d she say? What took so long, mom?”

She turns to them, looking absolutely delighted.

“Oh, she was telling me how she makes her famous casserole. We got into talking about baking and she says the recipe she found online ages ago is exquisite! She says you should know Louis?”

Louis nods, albeit reluctantly, and looks at her expectantly.

“Did she say it’s okay for me to stay here?”

She nods and grins at them, piling papers left in the living room from dan into her arms. “Yeah! Of course. She thinks it’s a great idea.”

“Seems like you’re stuck with me now, huh?” Harry smiles.

Louis pecks his cheek and snuggles into Harry’s shoulder. “Seems so, love.”

***

  
April 2018

“Boys! We’re leaving!”

Harry’s mom is standing at the bottom of the stairs, hands on her hips, when Harry and Louis finally come down.

“We’re going to be late, guys. We only have twenty minutes to set up and-“

“Mom. Calm down,” Harry interrupts her. “It’s just a farmers market.”

“I just want it to go well, Haz. And I’m sorry for roping you into this. Really. I know you had plans with your friends.”

“It’s okay.” Louis shrugs. “Could be fun, yeah? I don’t know shi-, I mean anything about oranges but I’m a fast learner.”

Harry’s mom gives him an unimpressed look and ushers them out of the door.

Louis and Harry really don’t mind helping her out. Sure, they had plans with the boys, but it’s not like it’s Harry’s mom's fault that her employees cancelled and left her alone to sell oranges at the farmers market.

They load the back of the pickup truck with baskets full of oranges from the small grove behind Harry’s house, and drive into town.

They have a stand on Montgomery street, and immediately start unloading everything onto the tables. The market starts at 7:30 and it’s already after seven, so they need to hurry with setting up the register and the signs indicating the different prices.

It’s pretty empty, not many people walking around, but as soon as the clock strikes eight it’s like the floodgates are opened and loads of people walk into the market, the Styles’ oranges disappearing from their stand faster than expected.

They see some of their classmates walking around, and Louis tries to hide Harry behind his back inconspicuously every time they glare at them.

News had of course spread fast, like it tends to do in small towns, and by the end of their break everyone knew that Harry and Louis are dating. School had practically been hell ever since, but at least Louis has a great family to come home to every night. And he has Harry of course.

When all oranges are sold and Anne tells them to spend some time in the city before they drive back home, Harry turns to Louis and pulls him out from behind the stand.

“There’s a bulletin board at the corner of Montgomery and Lincoln street. There’s all sorts of job postings. If you want to maybe, I don’t know, take a look, Lou?”

Louis nods and shrugs. “Sure. Lets go. Can’t hurt to take a look, yeah?”

Harry leads him around the corner and stops at a storefront, the bulletin board turning out to just be a small collection of papers, three to be exact.

“Looks like we hit the lottery here, huh, Haz.”

Harry rolls his eyes and leans closer to read them.

“High school teacher? I don’t think I qualify for any of these, babe.”

Harry points at the yellow piece of paper and grins.

“This one could work. It's a summer job and it’s pretty near. And it pays well.”

Louis looks over at him with raised eyebrows. “Do I even want to know what job it is?”

Harry shrugs. “It’s on a cattle farm. Like Liam’s, just a lot bigger. And before you say anything, Liam can teach you.”

“That actually sounds pretty cool. What do I have to do to apply?”

Harry reads over the paper again to find the information. “Uhh, first you call them and tell them you want to apply. Then they’ll call you in to see how good you work with the others. That’s it.”

Louis shrugs. “Sounds easy enough. And it’s a summer job you said?”

“Yeah. Starts in June and ends in August.” He turns to Louis grinning widely. “You can do this job and then go to college afterwards if you want to. Louis you can actually stay here. Go to college and be an author like you want to. Please think about it.”

Louis doesn’t think about it, instead he calls them and applies that night.

***

He texts Liam the next morning before breakfast, Harry and him still laying in bed together, limbs intertwined.

Liam. I need your help.

Sure. What’s up bro? Everything good

Louis types out the next message and sends it off, chuckling.

Teach me your craft, master

He has to wait a bit longer for the next message, probably because Liam doesn’t know what to say.

What??

Louis rolls his eyes.

Teach me your cattle skills. Ask no questions. I’ll explain in school tmrw

Like how to round up cattle?

Louis rolls his eyes again and throws his phone from the bed, the thud waking Harry up from his deep sleep.

“Whassit?”, he mumbles cutely.

Louis rubs Harry’s stomach and grins up at him.

“Babe. I have a job interview. With the cattle farm. On the fifteenth of May.”

Harry’s eyes snap open and he grabs Louis’ hand squeezing his fingers tightly.

“Really? You applied, Lou? You’re staying?”

Louis hums. “Yep. Hopefully I’ll be working with dirty and smelly cows in two months.”

Harry laughs and pulls Louis in for a kiss.

“Thank you so much, Lou. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

Louis shrugs and runs one of his hands through Harry’s hair, massaging his scalp lightly.

“I'd do anything for you. And I think it’ll be fun. Proper American.”

“You’ll look so hot with all those muscles, so fit,” he breathes against Louis’ neck.

Louis laughs. “Yeah, you reckon?”

“Hmm, you will. Imagine. Tan and muscled like Liam.”

Louis swats Harry’s chest.

“I’d rather have you not look at Liam like that.”

Harry ignores him and pulls off Louis’ shirt, kissing up his chest.

It’s not really a surprise when Louis guides Harry through riding him sloppily ten minutes later.

***

“So basically, we have 3,000 cattle separated on eight fields. Which means about 375-400 per field. I’ll show you those later though, first we’re going to go into the barn where we keep them overnight.”

They’re at the Paynes’ cattle ranch for the weekend, Liam preparing him for his hopefully future his job while the others are watching him explain everything to Louis.

“You have one barn for 3,000 cows?”

Liam laughs and drives them to a huge warehouse looking building in his truck.

“Yep. Here it is.”

Harry squeezes Louis’ thigh and smiles at him, stumbling after him out of the car.

“You better hold your breath when you go in, it smells horrid in there.”

Liam scoffs. “You get used to it.”

He opens the tall doors and motions for them to step onto a straight walkway lined by metal fences.

“After ten years maybe. You bring me in here everyday and I still want to vomit,” Zayn deadpans.

Niall cackles and squeezes Zayn's shoulder, walking into the barn. “Amazing, bro. I can’t wait to smell that.”

Liam turns back to Louis while they walk down the row of empty enclosures and points at the different ones, explaining how they work and how big they are.

“We feed out of Harris ranch, which means we do lots of business with them, selling and buying cattle for cheap in order to get some funds from them once a year.”

He unlocks one of the metal fences and gestures for them to step in, still talking.

“The slaughterhouse we sell to is in Sacramento, there used to be one closer to here but it got shut down because they had some health regulation issues. We sell our steers and heifers to them when they’re between 30-42 months, or well, 2.5-3.5 years.”

He motions at the space around them. “This is where the cows stay. The pregnant ones and the ones that have already given birth, and of course the calves for the first few months. That’s why there’s more hay in here than in the others, because they need a comfortable place to lay down.”

Louis nods and looks around them, ignoring Zayns complaints about standing in knee high hay.

“Calves stay with their mothers for four months here before we separate them into their category. They get clips onto their ears on the day they’re born with their age, sex, and group to help us with that.”

When Liam doesn’t elaborate Louis nudges him.

“What categories are there, then?”

Liam ushers then back out of the hay and into the hallway, locking the fence.

“There’s four different categories — Cows, Heifers, steers and bulls. Cows are the ones we breed. We let them roam with the bulls once a year in July, which means that all cows already gave birth this year, so we have lots of calves at the moment.”

He points at the fence across from the one of the cows.

“Then there’s the heifers. They’re female cows that won’t ever be pregnant or give birth. They’re practically only for slaughtering. We have to keep them away from the bulls and steers at all time otherwise they won’t be worth as much.”

Louis nods. That’s reasonable.

“Okay, that makes sense. So what’s the difference between a steer and a bull?”

“A steer is younger than a bull first of all, and are only used for slaughtering as well. We use bulls for breeding the cows and for rodeos, they’re probably the main money makers so we feed them more,” Liam explains.

“Huh, okay. So which category are you responsible for on the field? Since you can’t really mix any of them, I guess they’re all in separate ones?”

“He’s responsible for the young steers,” Zayn interjects. “The ones that are too young to be killed specifically.”

Liam nods and smiles at Zayn. It’s quite sickening.

“Yeah. Steers that are older than 1.5 get sorted out of my herd once a year and put into the older group that will be slaughtered a year later. That day is actually in two weeks, so you’ll get to help me with that then.”

“I hate that day,” Harry pouts. “The poor babies.”

Liam groans and leads them out of the barn, holding Zayn's hand. Apparently it’s not the first time that Harry and him discussed this.

“Harry. How often do I have to tell you that it’s just, y’know, the circle of life or something. They are born to be slaughtered.”

“It’s still sad,” Harry whines.

“At least we get some good steak and burgers out of it,” Niall says turning to Louis. “Did you know that 80% of the meat we eat around here comes from this farm?”

Harry hits Niall's shoulder. “That only makes it worse!”

Louis presses a kiss to Harry’s pouting lips and pulls him back into the truck behind Niall. They have a five hour break before Liam and Louis have to head to the field for Louis’ first training session, and he’s planning on doing nothing but cuddling his boyfriend into the sofa until then.

***

Liam makes him change into a tank top, jeans and boots before they head out, pulling a Stetson from the closet and plopping it onto Louis’ head. He deems him cowboy worthy and they walk over to the stables.

Zayn, Niall, and Harry are taking Zayn's car up to the hill where they usually watch Liam from, while Louis saddles up two horses that Liam points out to him and Liam gets three dogs from the kennel they have next to the stable.

Louis had always wondered why he has dogs with him when he’s in the field, he assumed it’s for security reason or something, but Liam had explained to him that the dogs help him round up all of the steer since he can’t control close to 400 of them by himself. Which, that makes sense.

They ride the fifteen minutes to the steers with the dogs running in front of them, and Louis is thankful for all the times that Harry had forced him onto Daffie for hours on end, because he’s sure he’ll be sore as hell tonight from all the riding and exercise.

They wave at the boys smoking weed on the hill when they get there, the dogs already rushing out to do their job of forcing all steers closer together. Liam tells him to take the right side of the field and drive all the steers into the center where Liam will drive the ones to from the left as well.

Louis nods and copies what he’s seen Liam do a hundred times, spurring his horse on until he’s galloping across the field toward the first group of steers. He misses them by a long shot the first time and has to turn around in order to get close to them and drive them toward Liam.

He gets the next thrifty or forty steers to the already collected ones easily, but after that it’s more or less terrible because they keep escaping him on the way back to the others. He has to round them up three or four times on the way and he feels like even the dogs are getting irritated with him.

Liam ends up helping him with the rest, and together they get the entire group of them to the end of the field where narrow gates lead into the steers’ part of the barn.

“You weren’t too bad for your first time,” Liam says, not even breathless. “Pretty good actually. I’ll have you ready for your job interview in no time.”

“Thanks, Mate.”

Louis’ sweating and his ass hurts, and now they have to ride all the way from the barn back to the stables. He gives Liam a sad look when he says they have to ride back and Liam only laughs at him.

“Don’t complain, Lou. We’ll be back in no time.”

Louis nods and follows Liam back over the field and then toward his house. Niall, Harry, and Zayn are probably back at the house already, so Louis challenges Liam to a race to the stables, ready to be done for the day.

Liam doesn’t have to be asked twice before he clicks his tongue and gallops ahead of Louis, literally leaving him in a cloud of dust.

Louis coughs and almost falls off of his horse.

“Hey! No fair!”

Liam doesn’t hear him though, of course, so he taps the horses’ side and follows behind him, trying to catch up. Knowing that he cannot possibly win the race anymore when he sees Liam standing at the stables in the distance.

***

By next week he’s got it; he managed to keep up with Liam while rounding up the steers and let none of them escape on the way. Louis can’t help but boast about it the whole way back to the stables and Liam humors him, chuckling when Louis tells him that he’s the next pro-cowboy.

They jump off of the horses when they reach the stables, and Louis can see Liam tensing up next to him when he notices his dad’s quad standing next to the building. His dad was away for business most of the time for the past few weeks and Louis knows that Liam was happy about that. They still hadn’t talked it out according to Liam’s mom, and Louis doesn’t blame him either.

They take off the horses saddles and blankets, putting them away before grabbing the horses reins and leading them into their respective stalls, almost walking into Liam’s dad on the way.

He stops them with a hand on Liam’s chest.

“Son. We need to talk. Uh, I want to apologize.”

Liam blinks at him in confusion and shock.

“Um. Sure? Why?”

His dad sighs and lets go of Liam, stepping back and allowing them to bring the horses in.

“I just-, I behaved fucking ridiculous, Liam, and I regret saying those things to you. It’s okay if you’re, like, homosexual, y’know. I was just scared about the business.”

Liam nods and hugs his father briefly, clapping him on his back.

“Thanks, dad.”

He shrugs and shuffled back a bit, finally looking at Louis.

“You were great out there,” he says to him. “Your friends told me about why you’re doing this, and if you don’t get the job I’d like to offer you a permanent spot here as well, if you’d like.”

Louis nods and smiles up at him. “Thank you. I’ll definitely consider it.”

Liam’s dad nods and turns back to Liam.

“One more thing. I’d like to meet your boy. Invite him over for dinner tonight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really. Figured I should meet the boy you’re so head over heels for.”

His dad leaves then, waving at Louis on his way out.

“Oh god, Zayn's gonna be so nervous when I tell him,” Liam rushes out.

Louis grins at him. “It’ll be good. I’m sure. Zayns lovely.”

“Of course he is. I know they’ll love him.” He finishes cleaning off the horses and starts walking out of the stables. “Can you drive Niall home for me, though? Dinner will probably be in about half an hour.”

“Sure. No problem. I’ll just go get him and Harry and heat out, yeah?”

Liam gives him a tight hug and ruffles his hair.

“Thanks, Louis. And for the record, I really hope you’ll get that job and stay here with us.”

Louis laughs. He really hopes he can stay as well.

***

May 2018

  
“And Ryan is helping us redecorate the backyard. He bought some apple trees last week and he’s going to plant them with the girls today.”

Louis nods and smiles at her. “I bet the girls will love that. They’ve always wanted apple trees.”

His mom hums and stops stirring in the cookie dough she’s been making.

“So, anything new with you. Or Harry?”

Louis had introduced Harry to his family two weeks ago over FaceTime, and his mom was immediately obsessed with him. She always asks for updates on their relationship and if he doesn’t respond to her texts, she simply calls Anne and they talk on the phone for hours.

“Harry’s good. Studying a lot for our finals next week. But actually, I wanted to talk to you about something. Something serious.”

She nods and sits down at the breakfast bar, giving him her undivided attention.

“Okay. What is it? You’re not going to ask him to marry you or something equally as stupid, right?”

Louis laughs and shakes his head.

“No, not that stupid. But well, it still is kind of stupid.”

Jay raises her eyebrows at him.

“Okay. Come out with it then.”

Louis takes a breath and shrugs at her. “I kind of want to, like, stay here? In Amerika?”

His mom nods as if she were expecting it, smiling at him.

“Was that a question or a statement?”

“Uh, a bit of both?”

She sighs and shrugs. “I can’t tell you not to, Louis. You’re eighteen and I know that Harry makes you happy, so. If you feel like this is the right thing to do I won’t stop you.”

“Do you?”, he asks.

“What?”

“Think it's a good idea.”

She nods at him and smiles. “If you make wise choices along the way I believe it can be a very good decision. You’ll go to college there then will you?”

“I was planning on it,” Louis hums.

“Then I think you should go for it. You’re young, you have potential, and if it doesn't work out you can always come home to us, yeah?”

Louis smiles at her and wrings his hands in his lap from excitement. “Thank you so much, mom. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“What kind of mother would I be if I wouldn’t let my son stay with the person he loves, hm?”

His mother is another person he truly doesn’t deserve.

  
***

  
The next two weeks before the job interview go by quickly, days filled with filling out forms to finish his visa application and school work. Finals week is approaching quickly and so is graduation, and the teachers are really riding them to do well.

He saw Floyd at CVS a few days ago and she even apologized to him for her family's behavior, giving him a hug before paying and leaving the store. It wasn’t closure from what happened but it definitely made him feel better.

Olivia visited as well over the weekend, finally telling them that they’ll be having two little boys. Harry was positively delighted, touching her baby bump at every possible time. Cooing at the little flutters he could feel through her skin, telling Louis how many babies he wants to have with him.

It’s the day of the interview, May 15th, and Gemma decides on driving down with them to keep Harry company while Louis is busy. They get there on time, and Louis gives Harry a kiss and Gemma a hug before he gets out of the car and walks into the large wooden building in front of them.

The receptionist points him into the right direction and not even five minutes later he’s seated at a table across from the owner of the farm, Mr. McKinley. He’s a huge man, big and burly, with a long mustache. Kind of like the guy from kfc just with more, y’know, muscle.

He reads over Louis’ resume and talks to him for a while about where he’s from before he hands Louis his papers back and gets up.

“You said you need a visa, so after we see how you do with the cattle we can discuss that a bit more. I’m pretty confident that I’ll be able to get you a one or two year easily though.”

Louis nods gratefully and gets up as well, following Mr. McKinley down the stairs and into the stables.

“I’ll have you work together with three of my men. We have about 800 steers and I’ll need you to help them round them up, yeah?”

Louis nods and Mr. McKinley presses a saddle into his hand. There’s guy standing at the other side of the stables and he calls out to him.

“Dustin! Come here a sec!”

The guy drops the hay he’s been holding and walks over.

“What’s up, boss man.”

“Louis, here is interviewing with us. He’ll be doing the round up with you.”

Dustin scrutinizes him, raking his eyes up and down his body and then frowns.

“No offense. But he isn’t he a bit, I don’t know, small? Feminine?”

Louis really wants to scoff but he stays quiet, glaring at Dustin.

Mr. McKinley puts a hand on Louis shoulder and squeezes.

“I’m sure he can pull his own weight Dustin. And for the future I’d like you to keep comments like that to yourself unless you want to be stuck with mucking out the stalls for a week.”

Dustin nods and Mr. McKinley turns around to walk out.

“Help Louis saddle up and then meet me by the steers.”

Dustin nods again and walks into one of the stalls, leading out a large brown and white horse.

“She’ll be yours. Saddle her up and I’ll meet you here in a few minutes.”

Louis immediately gets to work, making sure the blanket sits right before strapping the saddle on. He'll do his best damn job and prove to that prick that he isn’t too small or feminine.

He thinks of Harry when he starts talking to the horse without even realizing it. Louis chuckles and hopes that nobody heard it, stroking the horses muzzle.

He’s doing this for Harry. He’ll do great, show Mr. McKinley what he’s got and get this job to stay with Harry in Oroville.

***

  
It goes extraordinarily well. Louis does great and he doesn’t let any steers escape or fall off of the horse. He communicated surprisingly well and easy with the other riders and they had all of them rounded up in no time.

Mr. McKinley looks happy when Louis walks over to him afterwards, clapping him on his back and telling him that he’s in.

They go back up into his office and Louis signs the contracts officially declaring him hired.

“I’ll help you with your visa. Just email me the details about where you’re staying and I’ll talk to the embassy.”

Louis nods and thanks him profusely.

“It’s no problem. I’m glad to have you as a part of our staff here.”

Mr. McKinley takes the papers from Louis and staples them before getting up and shaking his hand.

“Just for your information, Louis, no one will give you any crap here for being gay. I pride myself in having respectful and nice employees so please tell me if anyone does.”

“Uh, wow, thanks. Thanks, Sir,” Louis breathes out. “I appreciate it.”

“I don’t want you to hide who you are here, there’s enough places where you will have to.”

They start walking toward the parking lot where he holds open the door for Louis and shakes his hand a last time.

“See you in June, Louis. Say hi to your boyfriend from me.”

Louis looks toward the car where Harry is grinning at him and then back to Mr. McKinley.

“Will do.Thanks again,” he smiles, starting to walk to the car.

“Not a problem.”

He turns around abruptly when he’s halfway to Harry and Gemma and calls out to him again.

“Sir! I was just wondering. How’d you know I’m gay? I never told you.”

He shrugs and starts walking inside.

“Takes one to see one, Louis.”

Louis grins at where he disappeared behind the door and then runs and jumps into Harry’s arms, kissing his lips hastily.

“I just got the best job I could’ve ever asked for, babe. I’m definitely staying here, with you.”

Harry grins at him happily and then starts to cry.

***

The last week of school consists of avoiding Brody, taking their finals and taking part in all the graduation practices.

Zayn and Nialls graduation is on the 24th of May, so Louis, Liam and Harry drive over to their school and watch them walk over the stage and accept their diplomas. They take loads of pictures with them in their ugly robes and meet Zayns family finally as well, who turn out to be really nice.

Niall's mother doesn’t show, but instead Olivia surprises him, jumping into his arms when she finds them among all the other students. She’s wearing a sundress, her very pregnant belly bulging out crazily.

Maybe it’s not very convenient to become parents right after high school, but one look at Niall and they all know that those kids and Olivia will motivate him to do something with his life.

They all repeat the same thing for Harry, Liam and Louis’ graduation the next day. Shooting picture after picture to send to his mom and friends back in England. He had graduated in the top 10 percent of the entire senior class, sending a imaginary fuck you at everyone who had told him that he’s worthless throughout the school year.

When Harry and him fall into bed that night after a long dinner at a local diner with the boys, he tells Harry he loves him until his eyes flutter closed and his breaths even out.

***

June 2018

Six days later he flies back home to England to say goodbye to everyone properly and pack more of his stuff to bring back to California.

The flight is long and boring, and the person sitting next to him snores and drools. The flight attendant even casts him pitying looks when the man attempts to lean on Louis’ shoulder.

Not surprisingly he’s tired and worn out as soon as he gets off of the plane and walks toward arrivals, picking up his bag on the way. His mom is waiting right at the front of the room, and as soon as he sees her he runs into her arms. She holds him tightly against her chest, and Louis can’t hold back his tears when he hears her cry against his shoulder.

“I missed you so much, Lou.”

He pulls back and kisses her cheek softly, pulling his bag up higher onto his shoulder.

“I missed you more, mom. And don’t even argue,” he laughs.

She smiles and cups his cheek with her hand. “Wouldn’t dream of it, baby.”

***

The two weeks he spends in Doncaster go by incredibly fast.

Most nights he hangs out with his old friends in the bars and clubs around them, catching up and reminiscing until the bar closes or the club gets too loud.

He sends Harry tons of Snapchat’s of himself and them, even introducing him to Stan when he comes back from America himself. He met someone there as well and she came back to Doncaster with him, meeting Louis when they go for lunch about halfway through his trip back home.

He meets Ryan on his second day there and he’s honestly really great. Louis’ family is so happy with him and there isn’t a better match made in heaven for Lottie. He plays with Louis’ siblings and he helps his mom set the table or cook in the kitchen, and Louis doesn’t feel replaced anymore just glad because he’s happy that someone other than Dan will be here to take care of his girls.

Louis FaceTimes Harry on his fifth day, demanding him to walk into the stables and show him Rosie and Daffie because he misses them. Harry complies of course, and when he gets back into the house Louis stays on the phone with him until he falls asleep.

He also eats his weight in his mother’s lasagna when she makes it for him almost every single night in the two weeks he’s there. It’s not one of his proudest accomplishments obviously, but it was fun while it lasted.

The last two days he spends in a frenzy of packing his suitcases and spending as much time with his family as he can. He gets the rest of his money from his savings account and plans on buying a nicer car when he’s back in the states, finally having given the truck back to the Wilsons before he left.

Harry and him FaceTime for almost eight hours the night before his flight, making plans for their summer together and talking about what’s been going on with Niall, Liam and Zayn.

Niall is in San Francisco with Olivia, helping her move her stuff into their new shared apartment while Liam and Zayn are both on a small road trip down to Sequoia and Yosemite National parks. Zayn had never been before so Liam had taken it in his own hands and asked Zayn's parents for permission to take him there, resulting in lots of sex for Liam according to Harry.

When Louis finally does go to bed, he can’t stop himself from counting down the hours until he’ll get see his boy again.

***

Saying goodbye to his family isn’t easy when they drop him off at the airport the next morning, but the fact that Ryan is there makes his departure easier by far.

They all cry a bit and Louis hugs his mom for at least five minutes before he leaves to go through security, but he’s happy. And they’re happy. So he sends them all a last wave and a smile and boards the plane half an hour later, back on the way to California and Harry.

***

And when Louis cries into Harry’s shirt, holding a bouquet of violet roses in the arrivals area at San Francisco airport, it’s only because he knows he made the right choice in starting a life with the boy he loves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Epilogue? :) xx


End file.
